McLean, Va.
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

Photography © Tim Hursley

A suburban quasi city engages employees and public alike

Program: Squeezed for space in two towers in Virginia, this 1906 communications company began looking for a site for a new headquarters that would accommodate its dual personality as newspaper and holding company. It wished to create an architecture that would be both functional and iconic and would provide a distinctive professional expression for its two identities.

Solution: A 25-acre parcel of land in Tyson's Corner, close to where many of Gannett's 1,780 employees live, offered a generously sized and well-located site for three groups of spaces that emerged from the programming process. For the first time, the company operates in a custom-suited environment. The building is modeled around a town center, where fluid interaction is encouraged. Staff discovered a newfound sense of community and a marked appreciation for architecture—as well as for the contemporary art that graces the interior, and for the employee amenities, such as outdoor dining, a gym, and jogging trails.

For more images please see the November 2003 issue or Architectural Record.

The Winners: Orange Innovations | Hotel Habita | Sekii Ladies Clinic | Start-Up Offices | Inn at Price Tower | Darwin Centre | Apple SoHo | Stealth/Ogilvy | Gannett/USA Today Corporate Headquarters | ImageNet

The Finalists: Automated Trading Desk Technology Campus | Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery | University of Washington | Herman Miller MarketPlace | Beacon Communications Office | New Academic Complex, Baruch College, CUNY | Mott Children's Center

Unbuilt Projects: Great Harbor Design Center

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