Small Project (under $2 million) - Award of Merit

Triad Communication
Washington, D.C.

When Triad Communication, a strategic consulting firm, desired a new Washington, D.C., headquarters, it turned to Rand Construction Corp. of Arlington, Va., to renovate two floors of an existing building into snazzy, high-tech office space and to add a chiller system.

The renovation and HVAC upgrades cost $1.2 million.

The first five stories of the building were constructed of concrete in 1950. In 1970, three additional structural-steel stories were added. The two different methods posed some challenges with differing deck heights. Thickness of the walls varied from 10 in. to 3 ft.

Rand completed the interior build-out of the second and third floors for Triad, which purchased the building. The office space has an open ceiling with an exposed decking design that highlights the company's technologically advanced atmosphere.

Triad creates communication strategies for pharmaceutical and chemical companies, insurers, automobile manufacturers and cigarette producers. The company provides grassroots mobilization, public affairs, customer service management services, as well as marketing and legal communications.

Rippeteau Architects, PC, of Washington, D.C., designed the interior. Office space is divided with cloth cubicles and glass partitions. Hufcor of Stevensville, Md., provided the movable, glass-wall partitions.

Upon entering the new office, visitors are greeted in a reception area that includes natural wood paneling and countertops.

Inside, brushed metal cabinets provide storage, and bright red and blue paint give a vibrant feel to the office space. Copper plumbing, spiral decking and a wire management system give an upgraded feel to the warehouse-style design. Spotlights offer dramatic illumination.

Work and break space was positioned in hallways, taking advantage of every available space. The brushed metal decor follows through on shelving and barstool seating.

Triad chose to draw attention to its banks of computer servers. The equipment sits behind glass and wood-paneled walls, with a series of spotlights shining into the specially cooled section of the building.

Rand also built a new HVAC penthouse and new roof, one of the highlights and most challenging aspects of the job, according to the judges. Crews removed the existing roof, added structural steel to increase the load capacity, installed chillers, a cooling tower and boilers and put in a new rock-ballast roof.

The upgrades also included adding a 4-in. dedicated fire service system with new sprinklers and alarms, which were installed by Cobra Fire Protection of Stafford, Va.

Grother & Co. of Washington, DC, provided mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering services. Sevem of Annapolis, Md., carried out the work.

The team had to install the new heating and cooling distribution system and the fire-suppression system throughout the occupied building. The open ceiling, warehouse-style design made this portion of the job easier for the two floors occupied by Triad.

But the other six occupied levels also received the upgrade, necessitating scheduling work around office and restaurant tenants.

One of the judges praised the Rand team for completing the work while the building was occupied.

Return to Categories List