Washington Convention Center
Washington, DC
Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associate

Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates has given the U.S. capital a new convention center and the nation a town hall

© Brian Gassel

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

By Sara Hart

Contemporary Washington architecture is, as a rule, uninspiring. Because of the city’s well-known and much-groused-about height restrictions, as well as its deference to L’Enfant’s 1791 plan, developers have been forced to fill the allowable envelope of every site, often with mediocre results. Modernist bulk—frequently rendered in a Classical pastiche of stone or brick veneer—rules the blocks of downtown.

Enter Atlanta-based Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates (TVS) to challenge conventional wisdom. Although a diverse practice, TVS is best known for designing some of the most carefully crafted convention centers in 34 U.S. cities. Chicago’s McCormick Place and the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia set the standard for this building type and, as a result, they have received the highest honors from the American Institute of Architects. With its experience and expertise, TVS was the logical choice to design a landmark for Washington in the form of a convention center. Ten years in the making, including an approval process that required review by more than a hundred local and federal agencies, TVS has shown through perseverance and talent that stringent regulations need not preclude exceptional design.

By definition, convention centers are enormous structures, but TVS was faced with layers of complexity, including 700,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 230,000-square-foot assembly hall, 70 meeting rooms, and a ballroom with banquet seating for 3,000.

The task was further complicated by location. The six-block site is situated in a residential and light-commercial neighborhood with underrealized economic potential in sight of the Capitol dome and minutes from Union Station. Ambitious plans to develop a seemingly vulnerable neighborhood attracted serious scrutiny from numerous interested parties and, in this case, highly politicized ones. At the same time, the city had a desire to construct a high-profile symbol of prosperity and democratic ideals in uncertain times. Finally, TVS was charged with creating not just a commercial venue and tourist destination, but a new monument in a city whose identity is defined by large public monuments.

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Formal name of Project:
Washington Convention Center

Location:
Washington, DC

Gross square footage:
2,300,000 sq. ft.

Owner:
Washington Convention Center Authority

Architect:
Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates, Inc.
2700 Promenade Two
1230 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30309-3591
Phone: 404-888-6600
Fax: 404-888-6700
www.tvsa.com