KPF and Skanska Unveil New Design for 17xM in Washington D.C.

Today, Kohn Pedersen Fox and Skanska are pleased to unveil the design of 17xM, a striking new office development in Washington D.C.’s central business district. The 11-story, 330,000-square-foot, mixed-use development features office and retail space and is located adjacent to the National Geographic headquarters on one of the few remaining ground-up construction opportunities in northwest D.C. Designed with a tenant-centric, data-driven approach, 17xM will feature a seamless user experience while providing a unique flexible tenant offering.

Global developer, Skanska, tasked KPF as architect, and consultants at ARUP and Siemens to curate 17xM’s creative, connected environment and top-tier amenities package to accommodate tenant needs well into the future. The building represents Skanska’s eighth development in the greater Washington area.

“We are excited to collaborate with Skanska to forgo the usual D.C. office building approach and design a project whose form and articulation simultaneously improve the workplace and enhance the public realm, integrating inside and outside to make both public corner and private office a true ‘place’,” said Elie Gamburg, KPF Design Director.

The design for 17xM refashions the typical D.C. office block by utilizing a dynamic form to dramatically increase the number of perimeter offices achievable per floor, enclosed by an articulated façade that pushes the boundaries of sustainability and craft. Skanska led the building’s angular, two bar plan with a close analysis of the site, seeking ways to maximize the windowline. By creating meaningful pockets of public space, the project delivers an inviting urban experience while pulling back in key areas from the street wall to offer visual relief and mark an entry. The western façade offers lower floor tenants a private outdoor terrace, while a penthouse-level amenity floor offers shared conference and event facilities, as well as an expansive roof deck. Ensuring a streamlined door-to-door experience, the design incorporates a private layby drop off for tenants and guests. This also supports the reduction of overall traffic in and around the downtown corridor.

“The design of 17xM prioritizes convenience, flexibility, and smart building technologies to accommodate the demands of today’s workforce and into the future,” said Mark Carroll, Executive Vice President of Commercial Development Operations for Skanska in Washington D.C. “Working alongside the world’s most inventive architects, designers and engineers will ensure Skanska continues to develop best-in-class workplaces at premier locations that create a better experience for our tenants.”

Targeting LEED® Gold and Wired Certification, the project’s façade features a dynamic interplay of horizontal cells and vertical sun-screens, both optimized to maximize the insulating value of the wall, daylight penetration for offices, and solar control. Other sustainable components include a green roof to assist in storm water control, high efficiency MEP systems, and local, recycled, and natural construction materials.

Located at 1700M Street NW, 17xM places tenants at the epicenter of Washington D.C.’s central business district, which is home to roughly 3,000 diverse companies including top law firms, lobbyists, museums and research institutes, and six national parks. The premier location provides tenants with ample access to outdoor space and neighborhood conveniences. The transit-oriented development is also proximate to Connecticut Avenue and K Street, and is within walking distance from the Farragut North, Farragut West and McPherson Square Metro Stations. Randy Harrell, Jill Goubeaux, Joe Coleman, Colin Fay and Lara Nealon of CBRE are representing Skanska in the office leasing.

17xM expands KPF’s growing portfolio of recent and current work in the Washington D.C. area, including 1000 Maine, a carefully-crafted trophy office building completed last year on The Wharf, D.C.’s new waterfront district, 1900 N Street, a gateway to D.C.’s central business district that rises above its surroundings, and 200 F Street, KPF’s office building within the Capitol Crossing development, which reconnects the Capitol Hill and East End neighborhoods. Other major commissions in D.C. include the AIA National award-winning World Bank Headquarters, the Dulles Airport Aerotrain Station, and the Peterson Institute for International Economics, among others. In nearby Arlington, Virginia, 2000 Bell Street infuses new life into National Landing, a longstanding commercial neighborhood and Amazon’s new headquarters, by combining dynamic interplays of form and materiality, hierarchy and scale.

To download the full press release, please click here.