Letter
Dear Mr. Hawkins:
In its meeting of 17 March, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed the proposed final design for a new administrative headquarters building for DC Water at the O Street Pumping Station, located at 125 O Street, SE. The Commission approved the submission with the following comments, subject to review by the staff of the final design documentation.
In its review of the proposed design, the Commission members commented on the high quality of the curving curtainwall system, expressing hope that this would not be compromised by cost constraints. Noting the lack of development of the site design since the previous review, they identified several issues requiring resolution as part of the final approval. First, they recommended that the circulation area along the southeastern side of the building be refined, eliminating points of constriction to create a wider, more generous area for groups of people to walk and to congregate along the building’s river frontage. Second, they recommended that the design of the perforated metal panels proposed to screen loading and service areas be developed using a less generic treatment that reflects the special purpose and setting of this facility. Finally, they requested that coordinated construction drawings which document these changes, as well as shop drawings for exterior skin, be submitted for review by the staff; they anticipate an on-site inspection of the building skin when the first test panels are installed.
Please coordinate with the staff for review of the final design documentation and on-site inspection of the curtainwall system. As always, the staff is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
George S. Hawkins
CEO and General Manager
DC Water
5000 Overlook Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20032
cc: Sven Shockey, SmithGroup JJR
Lisa Delplace, Oehme, van Sweden & Associates