At the time the headquarters of the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation was designed, local commercial architecture followed the conservative traditions of monumental Washington. MGA&D provided a fresh approach to classical organization by subdividing the major facades into pavilions pulled forward from the main body of the building and articulating them with a variety of window types to break down the scale of their 600-foot length. This increased opportunities to plan corner offices within the large floorplates typical in DC.
Accessible from the secure glass-fronted lobby, a central skylit atrium is a focal point for employees and visitors. Extending the full height of the building, it also mitigates the change in grade between Pennsylvania Avenue and K Street. MGA&D provided layouts for the typical office floors and was responsible for the interiors of the shared employee facilities including the conference and training center, multi-purpose auditorium, library, cafeteria and dining rooms and credit union. In a later phase, MGA&D designed a retail store facing Pennsylvania Avenue.
The original project at 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue involved the successful re-zoning of the site for a large speculative office building for high-end law offices. A collapse in market conditions led the developer to sell the building to the World Bank Group. MGA&D assisted the real estate brokers in re-positioning the building. We provided horizontal and vertical test-fits within the approved building envelope to prove that the building would be suitable for the IFC’s program.
