United States Institute of Peace

Built on one of the last available sites at the northwest corner of the National Mall, the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) Headquarters is a functional office set within a monumental building. Notable for its eye-catching design and exceptional craftsmanship, the five-story concrete structure showcases two curving roofs designed to evoke the image of a dove.

The USIP Headquarters is structured as three distinct wings flanking two atria. A five-story curtain wall system at the front of one of the atria creates a grand hall. The top three stories of the Institute’s headquarters contain office space for the organization’s staff. Each office features an exterior window or an interior window overlooking an atrium below. Additional building facilities include a 230-seat theater, seven conference rooms, a 2,000 square-foot outdoor terrace, a two-level underground parking garage, and a landscaped exterior plaza.

The project, a 254,000 gsf, five-story facility designed by internationally renowned architect Moshe Safdie and built by Clark Construction, had an initial goal to achieve LEED Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system for new construction.

For this project, our scope of work was limited to reconstruction of buildings 6 and 7.