This strong yet graceful office building anchors an important intersection in Washington, D.C. --17th and H Streets--one block from Lafayette Square Park and The White House. Lafayette Tower is a significant addition to our nation's capital and exemplifies the best in responsible, elegantly simple, and sophisticated architecture that recognizes the objectives of the building owner, surrounding urban fabric and specific needs of the occupants.
Lafayette Tower is the first commercial office building in Washington, DC to receive LEED CS Platinum certification. The design team employed various advanced strategies to achieve this goal without sacrificing cost-effectiveness, quality, or convenience.
• Maximized reclamation/recycling of materials from demolition of existing building at site---92% achieved.
• Mechanical systems that include advanced energy recovery devices and indoor air quality controls and systems.
• Water conservation by means of state-of-the-art plumbing fixtures and no supplemental irrigation systems
• 1,500 s.f. (150 s.m. ) roof terrace for tenant use shaded by a overhead trellis and surrounded by lush low-maintenance "green roof" vegetation.
• This rooftop vegetation also serves as a rainwater collector/storm water management feature.
• Superior daylighting/views created from design of floor-to-ceiling ultra-clear glass and aluminum curtain-wall. A clear high-performance low-e coating was employed to significantly improve the overall energy performance of the building and occupant comfort.
Due to the building's location in the heart of D.C. 's business/governmental district, access by foot, car, or mass transit is available. The building's unique double-height lobby is finished predominantly in a white polished marble that creates a bright, welcoming atmosphere for visitors and building occupants alike. A reflective ceiling emphasizes and doubles the stunning visual effect of the white marble walls and floor. High-speed elevators operate to all levels, including a special "executive function" feature for express service to particular floors. Upon arriving at a typical office level, one is struck by the expansive feeling created by cantilevering the floor slab and positioning the perimeter columns 15' inboard of the curtain-wall. KRJDA prepared test layouts to demonstrate the unparalleled planning flexibility this floor-plate/curtain-wall concept provides in either private office or open workstation-type occupancies.
Client: Property Group Partners
Date: 2009
Size: 327,688 Square Feet / 30,443 Square Meters 2,000,000