DCS Design is continually striving to create spaces which embody wellness, health, and safety for employees, while at the same time maintaining an uncompromising standard of design. As people return to the workplace, it is now more critical than ever to create spaces which inspire a feeling of wellbeing.

What is Biophilic Design?

Humans have an affinity for the natural world and thrive in environments where nature is prevalent. Biophilic design is the idea of reimagining the workplace by incorporating nature-inspired solutions and materials. This can include the use of wood, stone, and a variety of greenery, along with exposure to natural light, outdoor views, and imagery of nature throughout the space.

There are of course many benefits to Biophilic Design. Using live greenery inside helps improve indoor air quality, which in turn promotes health and wellness. Bringing natural light into a space by maximizing views increases productivity and mood. And being surrounded by plants, water and nature-inspired flooring, walls, and ceilings can be calming and rejuvenating for employees. Finally, enhancing outdoor space which connects to the indoors can also result in the same benefits.

As designers focused on bringing people back to the office, as well as wellness, DCS Design incorporates a variety of biophilic attributes to our spaces — from green walls made of moss, to featuring organic shapes within our designs to reflect nature.

“We are all navigating new ways to think about the workplace and tools to bring people back,” explains Wendy Feldman Block, Executive Managing Director for Savills, a commercial real estate advisory firm. “Incorporating biophilia is a key means of achieving this. Many folks during the pandemic, including myself, got used to being able to see outside while working from home. I felt calmer and more productive. Now I look for similar attributes when searching for buildings and spaces for my clients.  The biggest challenge with biophilia? The word – which is unfamiliar to most. To me, it is nature at its best – incorporating it into design and material selection and complementing the building selection process.”

See how DCS’ biophilic designs is helping bring people back to the office.

Caywood at Woodland Park

The reimagining of the outdoor amenity space at Caywood at Woodland Park inspires and motivates people to return to the office. The activated outdoor patio and meeting/gathering spaces serve as a visual connection and landing space for tenants in the office campus’ two buildings and throughout the property. The space features a landscaped patio area with gathering tables which connects to the interior through a large movable wall; a walking path; and individual meeting pavilions fully wired with Wi-Fi and other technology connections. The large outdoor space is also ideal for community gatherings and events, creating local brand recognition and good-will within the larger community.

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

The live moss wall at AOTA brings nature into the space and connects staff to the outdoors.

The Ellipse at Ballston

At The Ellipse at Ballston, a fully activated outdoor fitness area and yoga studio features movable equipment, large, mounted TVs for interactive virtual and in-person classes, turf workout areas, and a large open-air trellis lounge. When not in use, moveable exercise equipment can be stored away, and the outdoor area can transform into a tenant event or lounge space – a unique experience unlike any other in this office submarket.

The post The Importance of Biophilic Design in a Post-COVID World appeared first on DCS Design.

Regardless of economics, unit design must and will change to address this pandemic as well as future health crises.  We foresee some of these changes to include:

• Intensified focus on modular design of residential housing units. This methodology has been around for decades already, but now more than ever it needs to be emphasized with greater urgency. This method of design and construction will allow greater development of housing units at the mass scale necessary to achieve the quantity of units our market will require to meet the demand over the next 10 years. This methodology also allows for greater quality control but with greater flexibility to modify only small portions of the unit that would otherwise be the same modular design used for multiple housing units.

• The demand for more unit design flexibility in the same square footage. This could include providing one or more work alcoves with connectivity, a drop down or pull out desktop and adequate shelving for files, printers, and other necessary devices.

• Less open floor plans and more divided space for privacy and safety.

• Creating a “decontamination zone” upon entering the space. This could include a resurgence of the “mud room,” or any space in which residents and guests remove their shoes and outerwear and is adjacent to a washroom to immediately wash hands before entering the main living space.  In fact, the 1918 Flu Epidemic is attributed to the creation of the Powder Room for nearly the same safety function. This decontamination area can also be closed off from the living area with a sliding glass door, if desired.

• Create designated delivery areas for both packages and food delivery which is separated from the kitchen and living area.

• Visually separate workspace from personal space, including hard walls as well as moveable, partitional screens.

• Create “Zoom Zones”— designated, publicly-presentable space for work teleconferencing.

• Implement adjustable work surfaces to meet everyone in the household’s needs – children’s schoolwork, play activities, and sitting/standing work configurations.

• Design larger pantries and other food storage areas.

• Increase touchless surfaces and accessories, including expanding Smart Home technology.

• Implement easy to clean surfaces throughout the home and eliminate porous, bacteria-collecting surfaces.

• Upgrade air purification systems and provide greater outdoor air exchange and filtration. In addition, make sure operable windows with insect screens are provided in all rooms.

• Greater demand for balconies — both for access to the outdoors and fresh air, and as importantly, as collective social space to interact with neighbors at a safe distance. Balconies can be designed in different configurations for visual interest related to the exterior building design, as well as contain operable screens to further divide space and create visual privacy.

• Greater demand for outdoor courtyards and/or roof terraces to allow group gatherings at safe distances.

• Fitness centers will change to designated sign-out times only with limited, socially distanced equipment and an increase in outdoor physical activities such as yoga and meditation.

• Ensuring that mixed-use amenities (i.e. grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, etc.) are incorporated into the podium level of the housing development, or are at minimum located a relatively short walking distance from the housing units. For resilient housing to truly be resilient, it must have easy access to basic, community-driven amenities vital to a vibrant, neighborhood environment.

• In addition to the above, access to childcare and/or educational facilities for children is an absolute must for resilient housing and families. The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on working mothers, driving them out of the labor force, perhaps permanently. Providing safe, affordable, and accessible childcare will be a huge driving force in allowing our families, particularly women, to return to the work force during and following the pandemic.

• Finally, access to continuing educational facilities will also be crucial as part of a resilient housing community. The pandemic has shut down entire industries and will have lasting impact on working families. To help mitigate this impact, housing design needs to incorporate facilities that will provide access to continuing education, financial outreach, work-force training opportunities and even social outreach facilities to help provide the necessary tools to rebuild our work force from the toll this pandemic has taken.

In addressing these post-COVID changes in both market-rate and affordable housing models, the key is these design changes cannot be a luxury provided to some, but a necessity provided for all.   In fact, it is not a matter of re-designing for this pandemic, it is resilience design for all that comes after.

Join us for our next webinar discussing the impact of COVID-19 on housing and what it has illuminated about affordability in this area.

Thursday, November 12th
11:30 am – 12:30 pm

The webinar is free and is eligible for 1 AIA HSW/LU CE Hour.
Registration link: https://nvite.com/HousingResilientDesign/d57d5

The post Resilient Housing Design and Looking Beyond COVID-19 appeared first on DCS Design.

You may not think much about the storefronts you pass every day, but when you pass an Apple store, you know it. No matter its surroundings, the Apple store stands out as an icon—a hub of sleek sophistication that can make adjacent buildings and spaces look stale, outdated and out of touch.

How does Apple create this immersive buying experience?

Going Beyond the Façade

Many retail stores have branded their storefront, but that’s where the branding experience typically begins and ends. Aside from the name and showcasing merchandise which appeals to their core audience, the general branding level of the average mall clothing store is the same from one place to the next. With spaces like Apple, Tiffany’s, and Porsche, branding goes beyond the brand perception to also include the building and interior space as part of the complete brand experience. Retail outlets and strip malls generally don’t have this kind of brand flexibility, but stand-alone stores have far greater freedom and are granted more creativity.

Architecture as Part of the User Experience

When considering architectural branding, it’s no longer enough to consider the trimmings of the storefront, but the entire building and interior as a unified brand whole. Architects and designers need to consider how the space reflects the brand and influences the entire consumer experience. Going back to the Apple Store, every architectural detail, lighting source, material and finish within the space is designed to deliver “The Apple Experience.” Over time, this unique experience is what consumers expect—and why they return. Why is there always a line out-the-door when new Apple products are launched? It’s not only the cool, sleek product itself, but the experience of purchasing that product within the Apple-branded space. The architectural space is another critical facet of the complete brand experience.

The Brand Evolution and Keeping a Finger on the Pulse of Consumer Demand

It’s important to note brands evolve over time, and architectural aesthetics must keep up with the process. The combination of digital technology and the hybridization of spaces, combined with the building storefront, interior layout, brand colors, materials, and finishes create an entire impression and sets expectations in the user’s mind.

At the extreme end, brand architecture can even transform an entire city! The futuristic Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain has created an uptick in the local economy and coined the phrase “The Bilbao Effect” for the ripple effect the brand architecture has created city-wide.

You can expect wholistic branding to continue to evolve as brands become more distinct and integrate greater technology to craft a seamless user experience. Architectural branding is here to stay and will only grow as retailers and brand visionaries acknowledge its undeniable influence on their consumers.

Susannah is an accomplished integrated marketing executive with over 15 years experience developing, managing and implementing innovative, award-winning online and offline campaigns for Fortune 500 clients across a variety of industries.

For more information about DCS Design, contact Marcia Calhoun at 703.556.9275.

Keep up with all DCS Design projects in and around DC! You can also follow us on Instagram,  Twitter, Facebook, and Architizer to find out about new projects, current trends, and fresh design ideas.

Check out our design blog for more design trends and insights.
Take a look at current projects by DCS Design for more information and design inspiration.

The post How Architectural Branding is Changing the Retail Game appeared first on DCS Design.

Historically, branding and architecture have always been thought of as two separate disciplines. Architects and Designers would creatively design the buildings and interiors, while the branding wizards would independently work to devise a unique positioning framework, many times without even seeing what the design team was creating. At best, this approach created a lot of backtracking and adjustments once the two teams got their heads together … and at worst, it created a complete disconnect between brand creation and architectural design.

But in recent years, this rigid siloing of disciplines is becoming more and more convergent and is instead being thought of as a synchronized creative process—as it should be.

What Created the Convergence between Architecture and Branding?

The combination of architecture and branding has largely been spurred on by new advances in digital technology. The last decade has truly made it possible for architectural firms to create entirely new spaces that combine architecture, graphics, event production, and multimedia in a way that allows brands to deliver a truly seamless presentation that goes beyond a name on a placard.

How Have Users Received the Blending of Architecture and Branding?

These advances in technology have come at a cost—our attention. In an era where everything is on-demand and almost instantaneous, a first impression is now what carries the most weight and clout with users. Traditional advertising has essentially dried up, and brands, especially older brands, are keenly aware of the death sentence being labeled “old school” can bring. As a result, marketers have started looking for newer, more interactive opportunities to incentivize and profit from the user experience.

Fortunately, hybrid spaces that combine branded design and technology in fresh, new and innovative ways not only draw users in, but keep them engaged over a longer period of time, and ideally, keep enticing them back! One only need look at the birth of Apple stores and the long lines of people waiting for the next version of the iPhone to see how brand architecture has come alive and cemented Apple’s reputation as a sleek, sexy, powerhouse of innovation.

Designing Spaces that Create Experiences

It’s no longer enough to incorporate some signage or a few branding elements to a building front or interior entry space and call it a day. Today the best-branded spaces reflect the internal culture of a company, or for residential clients, it reflects the experience and exclusivity of living there. Modera Sedici, a reimagining of the historic Italian Embassy in downtown D.C., designed by DCS Design, capitalizes on this fusion of branding and architecture to create “The Renaissance of City Living” — blending Old World charm with modern living conveniences. The architectural design reflects the unique brand. The brand influences the architecture, thus creating a continuous cycle of user immersion.

Aston Martin, Porsche and Armani: Real Estate?

One normally doesn’t think of luxury car brands or clothing as having anything to do with real estate, but in Florida, major brands like Aston Martin, Porsche, and Armani are using brand architecture to transform ordinary residential spaces into luxurious living. As their name implies, real estate branded with these retailers’ style evokes a sense of sleekness, class, sophistication and undeniably good taste. When you can take a well-tailored piece of clothing or a stunning vehicle and carry that sentiment over into a living space, you’ve done something truly remarkable and long-lasting — and that’s precisely what today’s forward-thinking architects and designers are hoping to achieve.

Susannah is an accomplished integrated marketing executive with over 15 years experience developing, managing and implementing innovative, award-winning online and offline campaigns for Fortune 500 clients across a variety of industries.

For more information about DCS Design, contact Marcia Calhoun at 703.556.9275.

Keep up with all DCS Design projects in and around DC! You can also follow us on Instagram,  Twitter, Facebook, and Architizer to find out about new projects, current trends, and fresh design ideas.

Check out our design blog for more design trends and insights.
Take a look at current projects by DCS Design for more information and design inspiration.

The post The Ever-Increasing Role of Branding in Architectural Design appeared first on DCS Design.

Prix Versailles is an organization which aims to foster and recognize beautiful and impactful architecture around the world. The Prix Versailles takes place every year at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. To find out more about the organization and other recognized projects go to prix-versailles.com.

For more information about these or other projects, contact Marcia Calhoun at 703.556.9275.

Keep up with all DCS Design projects in and around DC! You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Architizer to find out about new projects, current trends, and fresh design ideas.

Check out our design blog for more design trends and insights.
Take a look at current projects by DCS Design for more information and design inspiration.

The post DCS Design Selected as a Finalist—World Selection: Prix Versailles Sports 2019 Award appeared first on DCS Design.

Yes, designing for DC-based clients can be different than designing for suburban ones. This has been a long-debated premise in the real estate and architectural world. The energy and vitality of the city are palpable, and as designers and architects, we strive to capture that essence as part of our design. Themes and characteristics of this historic yet progressive city are also frequent design elements which identify place and pay homage. And then there is function which can be unique to urban workplaces and dwellings such as appealing to a younger more mobile workforce; accommodating employees who walk, ride bikes, use public transportation — and what that can mean to the space (lockers, showers, storage, etc.); accessibility to the outdoors — be it designing outdoor spaces such as terraces and green spaces, as well as natural light and outdoor views; and working within a smaller urban footprint.

From a client-service perspective, a seamless design and production process is critical.  So, no matter where the design firm physically resides, it must feel like they are conveniently located right next door.  This matters in terms of meetings, working sessions with the client, and critical on-site meetings during construction.

Here are a few of our DC projects we are extremely proud to call our clients, friends and “neighbors!”

The Lydian

The Lydian is the latest addition to the Mount Vernon neighborhood, building on the success of the adjacent Lyric. While the two buildings share unifying design elements, The Lydian’s 324 residential units appeal to a more mature demographic by incorporating upscale finishes and a larger amenities package. A luxurious, landscaped roof terrace and club room incorporate indoor/outdoor spaces, providing visual connectivity to the neighboring Lyric and downtown DC.

The Lyric

The Lyric at 440 K Street helped kick-off the rapid transformation of Mount Vernon Place into one of the District’s newly thriving neighborhoods—the perfect place to live, work, and play! This architectural and interior architectural gem provides 234 apartments and 9,500 square feet of retail/amenity space on a compact site by fitting 14 stories within the District’s 130-foot height limit. Designers achieved nearly a 9 foot interior ceiling height, complemented with floor-to-ceiling windows which create a bright and open environment for residents.

Modera Sedici

Modera Sedici, home to the Italian Embassy from 1925 – 1977, has been reimagined as an upscale community offering historic elegance with modern amenities. DCS Design teamed with Mill Creek Residential to redesign the architecture and interior architecture of this Neo-Renaissance building along with a new nine-story high-rise building offering views of the DC skyline from the top of Meridian Hill.  Residents of this 135-unit luxury development are living “the beautiful life” (see our Lifestyle Video creation on all social media platforms) with private terraces and storied spaces that once hosted the world’s dignitaries.

Finnegan

Finnegan is lauded as having one of the largest interconnecting spiral staircases (seven floors!) in the country and has been photographed by top national publications. Originally designed by DCS Design in 2005, we provided an interior update to the 293,000 square foot intellectual property firm to address their evolving needs and to attract new talent.  The design team implemented recent trends in law firm design to enhance connectivity, productivity and space utilization. And this time we surrounded that incredible staircase in glass!

POD DC

Pod DC Hotel is one of DC’s most innovative hotels with 245 “Pod” hotel rooms, averaging an incredibly efficient 135 square feet. Its central H Street location next to Chinatown’s “Friendship Archway” provides guests with quick and easy access to all the city has to offer. The Crimson Diner, Whiskey Bar and Roof Top Lounge bring a popular local restaurant on-site as well. Pod DC has quickly become a leading hotel by offering an affordable connection to the Capital’s world-class culture, emphasizing its unique take on what it means to travel.

2017 Award of Merit, Best Hospitality Project, NAIOP Maryland/DC Chapter

White & Case

White & Case wanted to create an international hotel experience upon entering the 140,000 square foot law firm.  The completed project is reminiscent of a high-end art gallery and boutique international lounge, featuring a two-story, back-lit onyx wall. The in-place interior renovation also included a large, multi-zoned lunchroom created on the 12th story building atrium, repositioning the library for multi-functions, and relocating the large conference center.  A large-scale relief of the world map, along with photo representations of White & Case’s offices worldwide, reinforced their over-all international brand.

2016 Award of Excellence, Best Interiors over 75,000 sf, DC/MD NAIOP.

International Food Policy Research Institute

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)’s new 100,000 square foot DC headquarters is designed to architecturally translate their life-saving mission into tangible design elements. The interior architecture and design communicate the organization’s essential work to create short and long-term sustainable solutions to end poverty and hunger in developing nations.  Unique branding elements include a large metal installation of IFPRI’s logo in the reception area and staff cafeteria, organic textures, and colors inspired by nature; and finish selections symbolic of harvest.

2019 Award of Excellence, Environment Designed for Work, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)

2018 Award of Excellence, Best Interiors over 75,000 sf, DC/MD Chapter

2018 Best Interior Design, CREW DC.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

(Currently in Design)

Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is a beloved DC non-profit organization and provides the largest source of federal funding for public radio, television, and related online and mobile services. If you listen to NPR in the morning … or watch PBS in the evening … you have CPB to thank!  After DCS Design conducted a ten-month program assessment, CBP made the decision to stay in their current location in the heart of DC. The two-floor renovation will allow staff to fall in love with their space all over again.

For more information about these or other projects, contact Marcia Calhoun at 703.556.9275.

Keep up with all DCS Design projects in and around DC! You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Architizer to find out about new projects, current trends, and fresh design ideas.

Check out our design blog for more design trends and insights.
Take a look at current projects by DCS Design for more information and design inspiration.

The post DCS Design Brings Premium Architecture and Interior Architecture to the Heart of DC appeared first on DCS Design.

In this changing work environment, long gone are the days of window-lined offices and high-panel workstations. Instead, many if not most companies opt for some degree of open workspace. But is an open, collaborative work environment right for everyone?

The Appeal of Openness

Millennial and Gen-Z workers are quickly becoming the target demographic for company recruitment. As the workforce becomes younger, more progressive, and more flexible, forward-thinking companies are doing their best to keep up. Countless offices across the United States are a physical reflection of their employees’ work preferences—teamwork, informality, and a flattened hierarchy. And, the age of an open work environment has only just begun.

What’s the big idea behind open offices? It’s simple. By removing physical barriers between team members, the psychological barriers are removed, too. A lack of walls is thought to help boost collaboration, creativity, and interpersonal communication. Instead of shrinking down behind their respective partitions, coworkers can easily share ideas, work together, and collaboratively solve challenges. The result, companies believe, is a productive, more motivated staff who enjoy coming to work, and who therefore work harder.

Possible Drawbacks

Are open work environments the secret to a hyper-productive and satisfied workforce? Well…maybe not in every case. The extra activity generated by this openness creates its own unique set of challenges.

According to a study performed by the Journal of Environmental Psychology, open offices lead to an increase in noise, distractions, and an overall loss of individual privacy. All those collaborative discussions can get pretty noisy without walls to muffle them. For those who need silence to focus, the constant buzz of sound…or a couple of very loud-taking co-workers…can be a real challenge to overcome.

The lack of privacy can be a hassle, too. Need to take an important client call? Have to participate in or run an important meeting? In an open workspace, you have to move to another location if you don’t want others listening in—or rolling their eyes because they’re forced to hear your entire conversation.

Research suggests that open workspaces may actually make workers less productive and interactive. A recent study by Harvard professor Ethan Bernstein cites increased psychological pressure as a major unintended consequence.

Bernstein notes that “If you’re sitting in a sea of people, for instance, you might not only work hard to avoid distraction (by putting on headphones for example) but—because you have an audience at all times—also feel pressure to look really busy. Indeed, all of the cues in open offices that we give off to get focused work done also make us less, not more, likely to interact with others.”

Compromise is Key

Open workspaces aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. A 2019 workplace study revealed that a mere 7% of respondents prefer totally open work environments. Instead, approximately 28% of respondents prefer “mostly open” offices with a few private spaces, while another 20% prefer “somewhat open” offices with a mix of private offices, meeting rooms of various sizes, phone rooms, and open collaboration areas.

In most cases, however, some degree of openness is a much better alternative to restrictive, self-isolating offices. A mix of open space and privacy is a much-needed solution to addressing the needs of a younger, diverse and specialized workforce.

As Thomas Edison said, “Different isn’t always better, but better is always different.”

Check out our design blog for more design trends and insights.
Take a look at current projects by DCS Design for more information and design inspiration.

The post Is an Open Work Environment Always Right? appeared first on DCS Design.

Where and how you work today is vastly different than the average worker’s environment in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. In the 80s, firms like DCS Design were creating office spaces to the tune of five to six million square feet per year. It was the era of corporate excess, and the office building designs and demands reflected that.

Enter the 1990s and the tech boom. Suddenly, efficiency was driving commercial architectural design. There was a movement towards consolidation and lowering overhead to increase efficiency. This required re-engineering a decade’s worth of trends.

How we work is dictated by a number of facets, including urbanization. In the past ten years, there has been a large shift in how we use office space. The architects at DCS Design have seen a decrease in the need for the typical office space. This is partially driven by urbanization, but also by technology, telecommuting, virtual offices, hot-desking, and simply having the flexibility to work from wherever and whenever you’d like has dramatically changed what we want in commercial office design.

The New Office

The digital era hasn’t made “office space” completely moot. Instead, it’s simply changed how we think of office space. We have the flexibility to work on the move more than ever, but an increasing number of studies have also shown that the environment where we work can make a huge difference in worker happiness and productivity.

For example, some studies have shown that an office space that uses eco-friendly materials can benefit employee health while increasing productivity. Other studies have shown that workplace quality plays a big role in whether or not a candidate accepts a job or if an employee stays. You can’t please every top candidate or employee but prioritizing what the best employees need and want in a workplace can be a big part of retention.

The physical design and layout of a workplace is foundational. The United Nations estimates that 68 percent of the world’s population will be living in an urban environment by 2050. This means architects need to plan for this shift now. Urban design needs to blend efficiency and maximize space while considering the interior architecture that people find most appealing and productive.

A Spiritual Business

Similar levels of change are being experienced by institutional uses, including churches and educational facilities. Keep a close eye on these types of institutions for insight into what we can expect in the future. Traditionally, urban congregations have occupied prominent locations. However, many urban congregations are shrinking, but maintain a viable purpose. Will churches be able to hold onto that land as urbanization continues? If they can, will that suit their purpose? What do you do when a congregation is shrinking but the physical presence of what is often a well-established church remains impressively large?

Churches and other institutions situated in an urban environment are sitting directly in the path of progress. There’s intense pressure to densify the areas around them. Some institutions might be landmarks and may be protected by historical societies and regulations. Those that aren’t may be able to take advantage of infill opportunities and create an endowment for themselves, thereby being able to continue their mission and having it paid for via monetization.

Some churches choose to expand their mission through the realization of real estate potential. Monetizing the land an institution already has can be a sustainable avenue.

Urban Trends on Tap

Already, over half of the world’s population lives in urban centers. People now choose to live in these environments. As part of this socio-cultural situation, people also expect all the amenities to be close to where they live. They want accessibility to public transportation, especially in areas like Northern Virginia where DCS Design serves institutions.

Commutes are getting longer around the country, and everyone is getting tired of them. By removing long commutes, you’re effectively removing wasted time and stress. Whether it’s work, church, school, or a grocery store, having everything you need just a few steps away makes living in an urban hub more appealing. In fact, it’s the reason many people relocate to a metro-centered development, such as the fast-growing Tysons Corner area of Northern Virginia.

In the past few years, there has been a shift as people put a premium on place over space. You can even see this change in suburban areas. Increasingly, the suburbs are creating urban areas with places like The Mosaic District and Reston Town Center.

The introduction of transit-oriented development, along with the mass adoption of Lyft and Uber as well as scooters, Jitney buses, and ZipCar, are also indicative of the acceptance of urban transportation. In Northern Virginia, DCS Design is working in the realm of both institutional architecture and institutional interior architecture to usher in the new era of urban design.

Local Projects to Watch

Currently, DCS Design is working with two American Legion projects in premium locations. There’s the design of Expectation Church on Braddock Road, which, enabled by sale of the 20 acres they owned in their previous location, sold the land to create an endowment and build a new church complete with a 980-seat theater and an attached building for Sunday School classes. Central United Methodist Church on Fairfax Drive in Arlington is taking a different approach, using their land to build a now 8-story mixed-use building which will contain a new church (replacing the existing church), daycare center, fellowship hall, and 119 apartments above these facilities. These are just a handful of similar projects the firm is working on.

Take a look at all of the current projects by DCS Design for some inspiration and a peek at what to expect in your local urban metro.

The post The Urbanization of America: How Institutional Evolution is Changing the Landscape of Architectural Design appeared first on DCS Design.