Intelsat headquarters
| 3400 International Drive | |
|---|---|
Intersection of two pods at an atrium
|
|
| Alternative names | Intelsat Headquarters |
| General information | |
| Type | Corporate headquarters |
| Architectural style | High-tech |
| Address | 3400 International Drive, NW |
| Town or city | Washington |
| Coordinates | 38°56′33″N 77°03′48″W / 38.9425°N 77.063333°WCoordinates: 38°56′33″N 77°03′48″W / 38.9425°N 77.063333°W |
| Current tenants | Intelsat |
| Groundbreaking | July 20, 1982 |
| Completed | 1984, 1988 |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 14 pods |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 7 |
| Floor area | 917,000 sq ft (85,200 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John Andrews |
| Architecture firm | John Andrews International and Notter Finegold & Alexander |
| Civil engineer | Richard Strong |
3400 International Drive (also known as Intelsat Headquarters) is an office complex in the North Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C. by the Van Ness metro station designed by the Australian architect John Andrews and built by Gilbane Building Company. Formerly used as the U.S. headquarters of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Intelsat), it is known for its futuristic, high-tech architecture.
John Andrews won the 1980 International Union of Architects international competition to design the complex. The competition had taken place in 1979 with nearly 100 firms from 23 countries competing for the contract to design the complex. Ground was broken on the project on July 20, 1982 in a rather unusual manner. Using a network of four satellites and five earth stations, a signal was radioed around the world two times before it triggered a pre-set explosion at the building site. The complex was built in two phases, with Phase I being completed first in 1984 and Phase II following in 1988. While Andrews' contribution was positively cited as that of a creative professional, the project was marred by the embezzlement of five million dollars by Intelsat's director general and deputy.
The complex consists of fourteen interconnected rectangular "pods" clustered in groups of four around taller glass and stainless steel atria. The circular stairwells external to the pods are constructed of glass bricks and concrete. Unusual for the time, the design incorporated environmentally conscious elements that contribute to energy efficiency, such as the use of tinted-glass sunscreens and the open-air atria that admit sunlight while reflecting direct sun. Also, the complex incorporates interior and exterior water features for cooling and terraced roof gardens to complement the large trees preserved by the site plan.
While the building is 917,000 square feet (85,200 m2), only 546,000 sq ft (50,700 m2) is usable office space, with the remainder being taken up by the lengthy corridor down the center of the building, the atria, and other public spaces.
Intelsat was the initial occupant, but after its privatization in 1999 and its later mergers with PanAmSat, COMSAT and parts of Loral, its continued presence at the site has been uncertain. This is partially as it is looking for a smaller complex. The embassies of Cameroon, Honduras, and Monaco are currently housed in the building. Other occupants have included the embassies of Belize, Botswana, and Swaziland and WJLA Channel 7.
...
Wikipedia