1902 +1906 Reston Metro Plaza

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Photo Credit © Dario Piparo

HKS, P.C.
Reston, Va.

Located at the Reston Station Transit Hub, one of the new developments catalyzing the urbanization of the outskirts of Washington, D.C., the Offices at Reston Metro Plaza serve as a gateway to a vibrant new mixed-use community. The design is intended to mark the development as a regionally significant destination that builds connections among commuters, tenants, and local residents. Vibrancy and community permeate all aspects of the design, creating a unique sense of place that will redefine a next-generation workplace.

Originally conceived by Robert Simon in 1962, the town of Reston was decades ahead of its time in promoting a walkable, sustainable, and inclusive model for city planning. The Reston Transit Hub and offices at Reston Station build on the legacy Robert Simon started some 60 years ago, with an integrated design that focuses on people, natural systems and a responsible use of resources.

Photo Credit © Dario Piparo

The dynamic shifting massing of the buildings is expressive of movement that celebrates the project’s distinctive location as a transit-oriented hub. A communal sky garden elevates the urban energy of the plaza to the office floors and promotes a sense of connectivity, symbolically linking the office buildings to the greater whole of the Reston Station development. The unique roofscape overlooks Reston Metro Plaza offering panoramic views to the north and south. The space also supports casual collaboration, social gatherings, and well-being, connecting tenants with nature and the sights and sounds of a vibrant neighborhood.

Modern workplace design centers around the notion of community, where one can be a part of a larger whole, and where connectivity and communal spaces become those “third place” to interact, work or relax. At Reston Metro Plaza, creating community starts in the lobbies of each building, which are envisioned as extensions of the urban vitality of the outdoor plaza. More than pass-through spaces, the lobbies facilitate informal interactions among workers as they make their way to the office floors and serve as gathering spaces for community members.

Key design drivers included health and wellness, as well as connections to nature. The sky garden and private terraces provide opportunities for working or socializing outside, where tenants can enjoy mental and physical wellness benefits. The office buildings are certified LEED Gold, with sustainable strategies achieving 35% water usage, and 22% energy use reduction, as well as an Energy Star rating of 82.

This progressive workplace design is set within a fully integrated, mixed-use, transit-oriented community and has attracted coveted tech tenants such as Google, ICF and Neustar, bolstering a bright economic future for Reston.

Visit the HKS, P.C. website.

Published: 07/24/2024
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