The Intrepid Explorer

The Intrepid Explorer

National Geographic

National Geographic’s headquarters renovation unifies employees across a dynamic 424,000-SF campus in an open-office environment that authentically represents the organization’s brand, culture, and legacy. The new office design introduces a flexible suite of amenities and public spaces while improving connectivity across multiple floors and departments.

An expansive second floor conference center, known as “The Passage,” supports internal business needs while stimulating the brand experience for visitors with a digital screen displaying a rotation of signature images from the magazine’s past. The area offers formal and flexible conference rooms, with a variety of catering support spaces, and touch down areas for focus work, and breaks between sessions.

Quilted Planes

Suspended overhead in the multi-purpose space is Quilted Planes, a custom work by Windy Chien. The extraordinary installation is constructed from ropes used by National Geographic explorers on real expeditions, designed to represent the blazing trails of the organization’s past.

Centralized amenities including cafes, outdoor terrace and patio spaces, and an employee library and lounge, further modernize and activate the public spaces. A double-height multi-purpose room with stadium-style seating and vinyl flooring features contour lines detailing the topography of Machu Picchu, creating a unique connection to the organization’s mission.

Environmental graphics and artwork designed by National Geographic’s internal branding team complement a neutral color palette while accents of the magazine’s iconic yellow rectangle provide brand recognition while indicating teaming and office spaces.

A new state-of-the-art post-production facility addresses the organization’s need to increase production and editing capabilities, and includes open workstations as well as audio and video editing suites that seat up to eight employees.

Location

1145 17th St NW
Washington, DC

Client

National Geographic Society

Partners

Project Manager + Broker: JLL
GC: DAVIS Construction
MEP: GHT Limited
Structural: Theobald + Bufano Associates
Experiential Branding: National Geographic
Lighting: Patricia Kazinski
Furniture: Peabody Office
AV, Acoustical, IT & Security: Cerami & Associates
Code and Life Safety Consultant: Arup Group
Post Production Facility Consultant: Communications Engineering, Inc.
Photographer: Garrett Rowland

Size

424,000 SF

Services

Interior Design

Expertise

Workplace

Sustainability

LEED Gold