1999 K Street, Northwest

Washington, DC

Program

285,000 SF, twelve-story Class A office building fully occupied by law firm Mayer Brown LP. Features efficient floor plates averaging 21,300 SF with four-level below-grade parking structure utilizing retained perimeter walls from previous building.

Description

The office building employs a geometric architectural language through its glass and steel construction, establishing a distinct presence within the urban context. Design Architect Helmut Jahn developed the building envelope and main lobby design, utilizing planes and prisms of glass that modulate light throughout the facades. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide natural daylight penetration while supporting energy performance objectives.

The project presented technical challenges, particularly the retention and integration of existing below-grade perimeter walls for the new four-level parking structure. Building cores were positioned to optimize tenant space depth for law firm programming requirements while achieving efficient core-to-gross ratios. The building includes amenity spaces such as a rooftop deck, fitness center, and private balconies on the ninth and twelfth floors.

My Role

As Project Manager for WDG Architecture serving as Executive Architect, I led comprehensive project implementation and designed all floor plans for this development. Collaborated closely with Murphy/Jahn's Chicago office to translate Helmut Jahn's envelope design into efficient, functional floor plates while managing the technical complexities of integrating retained below-grade infrastructure. Oversaw the design of amenity spaces and ensured optimal core efficiency to maximize leasable area for the client.