PROJECT Noblis Headquarters
LOCATION Reston, Virginia, US
PROJECT COMPLETION DATE 12/1/2016
ARCHITECT SmithGroupJJR
ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT
OWNER/CLIENT Noblis
CONTRACTOR / CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Rand Construction
PHOTOGRAPHER Eric Laignel
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM Rob Moylan, Dennis Daisey, Anna Dineen, Patrice Mulhern
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
Noblis, a nonprofit science, technology and strategy organization, was in need of a new headquarters that would reinforce the creation of the knowledge, innovation and collaboration they bring to their federal clients.
In keeping with its culture and value of exploration, Noblis took the opportunity to challenge the way they work. They set goals to break out of their normal work habits, and envisioned their new office as a physical network which parallels the virtual network of their data-driven research and development.
When analyzing how work is done at Noblis, the depth of departmental interconnections was much greater than they first thought. This became an opportunity to completely transform their work environment.
The design team embraced the angles of the base building, creating connections and nodes along a non-orthogonal path. This breaks up the floorplate into smaller neighborhoods that are buffered with public/collaborative spaces.
It was important to have a welcoming environment for staff and visitors. Noblis wanted people to see one another and have easy access to a variety of meeting spaces with integrated technology for a fast and efficient workflow. Labs and presentation spaces are showcased on the main level and situated along the main path of circulation giving Noblis the opportunity to share their work with visitors.
MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF
IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS
IMAGE 1 Noblis_thumbnail.jpg / The formal presentation room is adjacent to an open collaborative space in the NICC. The wood wall continues as a soffit, with the change in floor finish and glass walls providing acoustic separation while maintaining a visual connection to the larger space. / © 2017, Eric Laignel LLC
IMAGE 2 n/a
IMAGE 3 Noblis_high res int.jpg / The formal presentation room is adjacent to an open collaborative space in the NICC. The wood wall continues as a soffit, with the change in floor finish and glass walls providing acoustic separation while maintaining a visual connection to the larger space. / © 2017, Eric Laignel LLC
IMAGE 4 Noblis_01.jpg / An informal café enlivens the boulevard. It encourages staff from upper floors to mingle with NICC lab rats. Accent lighting emphasizes the network on which Noblis relies. The wallcovering is installed on the upper floors offering a familiar language between the office and public areas. / © 2017, Eric Laignel LLC
IMAGE 5 Noblis_02.jpg / Lighting, technology and furniture is easily configurable in the NICC collaboration space perfect for a large presentation or changed to allow multiple groups to meet. The walls have acoustic, tackable surfaces. The felt ceiling grounds the space and serves as an acoustic buffer to the rest of the NICC. / © 2017, Eric Laignel LLC
IMAGE 6 Noblis_03.jpg / The office area is 100% open, with views to the exterior from every seat. Formal meeting spaces buffer neighborhoods while nooks provide space for serendipitous interaction. Carpet and ceiling transitions define spaces. Custom shelving at the workstations and lighting continue the wood finish found in the main corridors. / © 2017, Eric Laignel LLC
IMAGE 7 Noblis_04.jpg / All meeting spaces have views to the outdoors. Open collaborative spaces sit between workstations and formal meeting rooms. / © 2017, Eric Laignel LLC
IMAGE 8 Noblis_05.jpg / Two caves on each floor can be used for daily scrums or as a war room for longer term pursuits. The whiteboard encourages analog brainstorming. The caves also provide access to the terraces for collaboration both inside and out. / © 2017, Eric Laignel LLC
Noblis Headquarters
Category
Local > AIA Potomac Valley > Interior Architecture (AIA Potomac Valley)
Share