/ To explore original design solutions for every client.
/ To create meaningful experiences of place for you.
/ To transform disparate elements into beautiful forms.
At DBI, we are inspired by the spark—that vivid and powerful moment when a client’s needs and a designer’s vision coalesce into one cohesive design strategy. Our designers’ enthusiasm and expertise ensure that this strategy is implemented in the best possible way, developing client spaces of unparalleled functionality and sophistication.
FIRM PROFILE
WHO WE ARE
Since its inception in 1973, DBI has provided full-service architecture and interior design services to clients who share our belief that beautiful environments foster meaningful human interaction and successful business outcomes. We have not only witnessed, but have been pioneers of, the evolution of design.
As a result, we have extensive and authentic knowledge of, and experience with, designing state-of-the-art building interiors. Our work embraces forward-thinking, contemporary design, so that our clients’ spaces exemplify the most cutting-edge, dynamic, and creative approaches.
Our clients include the commercial real estate community; federal government agencies; corporations and technology firms; the hospitality and restaurant industry; and local, national, and international organizations. With our office in the Washington, DC region, DBI is ideally located to respond rapidly to project needs and to adhere to rigorous production schedules. Our midsized firm is able to meet the demands of large projects while being intimately involved in their design—we are large enough to deliver and small enough to care.
DBI recognizes that the design of our built environment has a lasting effect on the health of our natural environment. As a member of the US Green Building Council, DBI ensures that a significant percentage of our designers are LEED® or WELL accredited and, whenever possible, specifies materials, furniture, and other products that are sustainable and energy efficient.
To reduce and monitor the environmental footprint of our projects, we maintain a carefully planned and integrated technological design platform that harnesses state-of-theart architectural design software. In addition to conveying conceptual designs quickly and in great detail, we are able to perform building energy and performance analyses to determine which architectural designs have the least environmental impact. Our technological platform also enables us to create highly coordinated sets of construction documents that link building component information to external databases for postoccupancy space and asset management.
CLIENTS
Associations
Nonprofits
Corporations
Developers, Owners, Brokers
Property Managers
Government Agencies
Institutions
Religious Organizations
Schools
Technology Companies
1984 ISAAC NEWTON SQUARE WEST, SUITE 400 RESTON, VA 20190
WWW.DBIA.COM
703.787.0882
SERVICES
As a GF Company, DBI can provide a broad range of architectural, engineering, and design services, including:
MASTER PLANNING
From the beginning of a project, our master planning services comprehensively evaluate the characteristics of a specific property and, then, illustrate the design concepts that work best for the site. Our experience and expertise provide a reliable guide through the range of land use, zoning, traffic, environmental, and demographic issues that often arise during complex projects.
ARCHITECTURE
DBI’s architectural division provides expertise in building design, including government buildings, commercial office buildings, mulitfamily and mixed-use buildings, private schools, colleges and universities, churches, and more.
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
We offer a full range of architecture and design services to create interiors that are both elegant and functional. Our clients include the commercial real estate community; federal government agencies; corporate, association, and legal end-user organizations; technology firms; and local, national, and international organizations.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
With some of the most experienced and knowledgeable site development professionals in the industry, the GF companies provide clients with rapid, thorough, and accurate assessments of whether a deal will work. The GF team of front-end design, real estate, legal and business specialists bring unrivaled resources and experience to every aspect of site development, while GF’s construction management experts help bring the project through completion, on time, and budget.
MEP ENGINEERING
Through an integrated, highly collaborative, and tailored approach, GF’s MEP design practice offers a wide spectrum of solutions for the commercial and retail development communities. Often involved from the outset of a project through construction administration, GF engineers provide a tailored set of services for each client and project. more.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
GF’s structural engineering capabilities span over three decades of experience with diverse building types, including a wide range of corporate, commercial, retail, residential, hospitality, industrial, entertainment, government/institutional and mixed-use. This experience extends to specialized structures such as signs, towers, retaining walls, and water detention facilities.
With engineers licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, our projects span the U.S. coast to coast within most primary and secondary markets. Through early and strategic involvement, our engineers provide the expertise that identifies critical issues at the outset and allows for timely, economic, and creative solutions during the entire design process.
CIVIL ENGINEERING
GF has a team of experts who are well versed in implementing solutions for the most complicated sites from redevelopment sites, floodplains, difficult utility relocations, to areas requesting sustainable design elements. GF has worked on thousands of projects worldwide and has provided services such as environmental mitigation and stormwater management to bringing in site utilities and site access; this range of experience guarantees the client that GF efficiently provides solutions that are in the best interests of everyone involved. GF ensures all aspects are considered before a plan is proposed.
SERVICES
STEALTH DESIGN
Beginning with the design of computer rooms in the early 1980s, we have created a variety of technology-oriented spaces, including network operation centers, switch sites, data centers, advanced concept laboratories, and video teleconferencing centers.
EXTENDED CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION
To ensure that a project is completed according to the price agreed upon during bidding, we provide extended part- or full-time representation at the construction site. We monitor the project’s progress and quality of work, as well as the contractor’s construction schedule; respond to requests for information; maintain project records; evaluate shop drawings, product data, and samples; review the contractor’s applications for payment; conduct inspections to determine substantial and final completion; and administer project close-out procedures.
MOVE MANAGEMENT/FACILITY MANAGEMENT
We provide consulting and on-site facility management services to corporate, institutional, and government clients. Whether moving a bookcase or coordinating an entire office relocation, we successfully implement move and facility management policies by partnering with our clients to understand their organization’s structure, business goals, and culture. Projects encompass both daily moves and complete reconfigurations due to growth, contraction, or mission changes, as well as special projects that support the client. Specific tasks have included “box” moves for thousands of people to different locations within the same building, or between different facilities, as well as consolidation or expansion of space between floors, or from building to building.
FURNITURE MANAGEMENT
From systems furniture and casegoods for office spaces to complex solutions for operations, command, and conference centers, we can coordinate furniture requirements for all spaces.
In addition to creating a furniture plan tailored to the specifications of any project, we offer guidance in manufacturer selections and workspace designs; handle procurement and installation processes; and manage all vendors on-site.
SURVEYING
At GF, our surveying services are foundational to our integrated approach to design and construction. We offer comprehensive land surveying capabilities to support all phases of project development. Our team utilizes the latest technology to deliver precise, reliable results, ensuring your project is built on accurate data.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Any great project begins with an understanding and response to the conditions of the site. Our approach to landscape architecture centers on applying our place-making skills to create a remarkable experience in both the short-term and over the longest span. By working with a client to analyze their space, we introduce a human scale to nature, concentrating on the ways in which living and non-living forms interact. Working seamlessly with all other disciplines, we incorporate concepts that include both public and intimate spaces while integrating hardscapes, view corridors and people flows. The goal is to re-imagine the site as a series of rooms, or spaces, or alternatively, as a stage for a great building. Our work is always collaborative and true to task of bringing a shared vision to life.
DBI continues to develop a deep portfolio of projects achieving various levels of LEED certifications.
LEED Gold
American Counseling Association | Alexandria, VA
American Wind Energy Association (now American Clean Power) | Washington, DC
AOL/Mapquest | Lancaster, PA
DBI Architects | Washington, DC
Marine Corps Reserve Center (MCRC) | Baltimore, MD
Twinbrook Place Office Building | Rockville, MD
LEED Silver
Intelligence Community Campus – Bethesda | Bethesda, MD
BAE Systems – Newington | Lorton, VA
BAE Systems – Quantico Corporate Center, Building G | Quantico, VA
BAE Systems – Redland Corporate Center | Rockville, MD
National Association of Manufacturers | Washington, DC
USAID Training Facility | Arlington, VA
LEED Certified
Undisclosed Government Agency | Washington, DC
1425 K Street | Washington, DC
AOL | Nashville, TN
GeoEye (now Maxar) | Herndon, VA
Subway Café | Washington, DC
Summit Consulting, LLC | Washington, DC
The Tower Companies – 1909 K Street Speculative Office | Washington, DC
U.S. Consulate | Mumbai, India
SUSTAINABILITY
DBI recognizes that the design of our built environment has a lasting effect on the health of our natural environment. DBI Architects is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, and a significant percentage of DBI’s design staff are LEED® or WELL accredited. All DBI staff are committed to the importance of environmental issues and their impact on the design of our built environment.
When specifying finishes, fixtures, materials, or furniture, DBI specifies recycled materials wherever possible, does not consider woods from endangered rain forests, and avoids materials that have a long-term, detrimental effect on the environment. The firm’s goal is to incorporate goods that are sustainable, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly.
AWARDS
OCTO OLABS
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2023 Award of Merit
AMBU
Associated Builders and Contractors, Greater Baltimore - 2023
Excellence in Construction Platinum Award
AMERICAN COUNSELING ASSOCIATION
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2022 Award of Merit
CITY OF DIAMONDS RESORT
Outstanding Property Award, London - 2021 Environmental/
Sustainable Architectural Design Award
COOKOLOGY
Associated Builders and Contractors, Metro Washington - 2020
Excellence in Construction Award
CABOOSE COMMONS
James M. Scott - 2019 Exceptional Design Merit Award
FN AMERICA, LLC
AIA Northern Virginia - 2019 Award of Merit, Commerical Interiors
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2019 Award of Merit
AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION
(NOW AMERICAN CLEAN POWER)
NAIOP DC|MD - 2017 Award of Merit
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY CAMPUS–BETHESDA
USGBC – 2017 Innovative Project of the Year Responsible Design Award
Design-Build Institute of America – 2017 National Award of Merit,
Rehabilitation / Renovation / Restoration
Building Design and Construction – 2017 Building Team Award, Bronze
AIA Northern Virginia – 2016 Award of Merit, Excellence in Architecture
AIA Potomac Valley Chapter – 2016 Honor Award
EMERGENT BIOSOLUTIONS, INC.
IIDA - 2016 Award of Merit
CABOOSE BREWING COMPANY
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2015 Award of Excellence
SUMMIT CONSULTING, LLC
NAIOP DC|MD - 2015 Award of Excellence
AIA Northern Virginia - 2015 Award of Merit, Commerical Interiors
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER BOARD OF STANDARDS, INC.
IIDA - 2015 Design Award
MANDIANT CORPORATION
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2013 Award of Merit
GETWELLNETWORK, INC.
AIA Northern Virginia - 2014 Award of Merit, Commerical Interiors
IIDA - 2014 Silver Design Award
GEOEYE, INC. (NOW MAXAR)
WBC - 2012 Craftsmanship Award
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2011 Award of Excellence
BAE SYSTEMS
NAIOP DC|MD - 2011 Award of Excellence
INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Associated Builders and Contractors - 2011 Craftsmanship Award
CLAUDE MOORE ACADEMY
Associated Builders and Contractors - 2011 Craftsmanship Award
DBI ARCHITECTS, INC.
GWCAR - 2011 Architecture Firm of the Year
Fairfax County Exceptional Design Awards Program - 2007 Merit Award
WBJ - 2006 Best Real Estate Deal for Interior Design
IIDA - 2006 Bronze Design Award
TWINBROOK PLACE
NAIOP DC|MD - 2010 Award of Merit
UNIWEST GROUP
IIDA - 2010 Bronze Design Award
Fairfax County, Virginia Exceptional Design Awards Program2009 Honor Award
CASSIDY TURLEY’S VIRGINIA HEADQUARTERS
Fairfax County, Virginia Exceptional Design Awards Program2010 Honor Award
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2009 Award of Excellence
GRAPHIC DESIGN FIRM
NAIOP DC|MD - 2008 Award of Merit
LOCKHEED MARTIN CENTER FOR INNOVATION
HRACRE - 2007 First Honor Award
CARANA CORPORATION
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2006 Award of Merit
STUDLEY’S NORTHERN VIRGINIA OFFICE
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2005 Award of Merit
US ARMY INFORMATION DOMINANCE CENTER
NAIOP Northern Virginia - 2000 Special Recognition Award
IIDA - 2000 Gold Design Award
PROCESS
TEST- FIT PROGRAMMING
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
THE PROCESS
It comes down to caring.
At DBI, we work to create award-winning projects with every design – regardless of the budget.
We work to ensure that the client receives the best value for their investment. We understand that our clients have two budgets: the dollars available for design and construction, and the time allotted to get the job done. DBI keeps a close eye on both.
With DBI, you can expect in-depth engagement from project initiation to completion. We’re here to help visualize your “organizational truth” in a physical space that will facilitate the productivity and employee engagement objectives you’ve established. We’re here to help you more
fully understand and interpret that truth in an environment that infuses brand and culture into every aspect of the workplace – immediately engaging staff, visitors, and clients and presenting the best representation of organizational values and goals.
The process that DBI follows is not dissimilar to the process many design firms might follow. It’s what we bring to the process that sets us apart.
FURNITURE
Beginning with test-fitting, visioning, and programming, we work to understand the corporate culture. We work to develop standards, based on what we’ve learned, to provide a sense of consistency throughout the finished space. From the beginning, we’ll discuss branding, and the discussion will bear on and influence design development.
More than a logo on a wall, more than a set of corporate colors, branding is that difficult-to-define set of qualities, characteristics, ideals, and other criteria that define an organization and what it stands for. DBI works with you to identify the details that tell your “brand story.” From these observations, a palette of colors, textures, finishes, and furniture will be developed to create a space that boldly states the organization’s identity.
We pride ourselves on delivering on-time, onbudget, and with “no surprises.” Using tools such
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
PERMIT & G.C. SELECTION
as Revit allows us to provide clients with 3-D views from the very early stages of the project so you won’t have to try to interpret flat representations of your space. And, DBI will develop different scenarios to make the way to proceed more clear.
DBI engages in an inward-facing value engineering throughout the design process. We understand that opportunities for cost savings and schedule management are greatest in the early stages of the project and diminish as work progresses. As a result, emphasis is placed on controlling these aspects during the schematic design and design development phases of a project. At these stages, factors that may adversely affect the cost of a design can be identified and alternative action taken, if necessary.
MOVE IN
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
POST OCCUPANCY FEEDBACK
Cost control and time management are fundamental and continually monitored. We include value-priced alternatives as we develop the palette. We’re also careful to seek out solutions that will not be bogged down in supply-chain bottlenecks. We want you to “spend wisely” – in your budget and in your schedule.
As we develop construction documents, we engage the client in “page turn” sessions. These sessions are high-level but in sufficient depth and detail to be sure that the needs of the project are being met. During this phase DBI gathers bids from general contractors, evaluates the proposals submitted, and provides recommendations on general contractor selection.
Construction administration is a critical phase of
the process. DBI remains fully engaged at this stage, ensuring that everything reflected in the construction documents is built to specifications. DBI remains highly involved throughout construction administration, advocating for our client and making sure their needs are met.
During move in and even post-occupancy, DBI provides customer service as needed, perfecting the design, and gathering feedback to make adjustments, as necessary. Our work does not end when the punch list is completed.
We’ll be there to assure design, functionality, branding, fit, and finish meet or exceed expectations. Because when all is said and done, it comes down to caring.
SELECTED PORTFOLIO
SELECTION OF ASSOCIATION & NONPROFIT PROJECTS
Alliance for Excellent Education
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists
American Counseling Association
American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO
American Planning Association
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
American Water Works Association
American Wind Energy Association (now American Clean Power)
Association of American Universities
Association for Financial Professionals, Inc.
Association of Research Libraries
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
Center for Energy & Economic Development
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Child Trends
District of Columbia Credit Union League
Employee Assistance Professionals Association
Epilepsy Foundation - Chesapeake Region
Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation
FINCA International
Foundation for Biomedical Research Global Health Council
IEEE
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
NAADAC
National Association of Gifted Children
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Realtors
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
National Association of Water Companies
National Automobile Dealers Association
National Commission on Libraries & Information Science
National Fair Housing Alliance
National Wholesale Druggists’ Association
Plumbers and Pipefitters National Pension Fund
Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH)
PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative
School Nutrition Association
Special Olympics International
World Hope
United Steel Workers of America
YMCA of the National Capital Area
AMERICAN COUNSELING ASSOCIATION
SIZE
9,512 RSF
LOCATION
Alexandria, VA
COMPLETION April 2022
CERTIFICATIONS
LEED Gold
AWARDS
2022 NAIOP Northern Virginia Award of Merit
PROJECT TEAM Cresa
DFS Construction
BlueMoon Engineering Officeworks
DESCRIPTION
At ACA, the workplace has been reinvented for the post-COVID world. The design of this highly adaptable and flexible hybrid workplace is 50% collaborative and 50% offices/workstations, treating the office as a “destination” for meetings and collaborative work. The fresh, new space is open and airy. Vibrant teal, deep blues, chartreuse green, and gray set off breakrooms, huddle rooms, and conference rooms, bringing a playful yet concentrated vibe to smaller areas within the larger space. Glass walls ensure that natural light from the perimeter permeates to the core. Innovative solutions were used for accent and direct lighting. All seating is comfortable and attractive, yet ergonomically designed. All desking is height adjustable, with ample built-in plugins for electronics. Desking throughout must be reserved, and lockers are provided to minimize clutter.
AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION
SIZE
15,849 RSF
LOCATION
Washington, DC
COMPLETION
July 2017
CERTIFICATION
LEED Gold
AWARDS
2017 NAIOP DC|MD Award of Merit
PROJECT TEAM
Cresa
HITT Contracting
GPI Engineerimg
Bialek - Herman Miller
TESTIMONIAL
“With our office build-out project complete, I can wholeheartedly endorse the work of DBI. Our effort presented a somewhat challenging assignment. We were shifting the team from two floors to one for better cohesion and wanted more options for collaboration with flexible workspace. While we had little change in overall footprint, we wanted to move from a very hierarchical structure to one that was a bit more dynamic, and stay LEED Gold in the process. The team—even those moving from offices to open workspace—are enjoying the outcome! The space works well for us, balancing polish and fun, and conveys the energy that we try to bring to our mission.”
Pam Poisson CFO and Sr. Vice President, Operations American Wind Energy Association
CLUBS OF GREATER WASHINGTON
BOYS & GIRLS
SIZE
5,950 SF
LOCATION
Washington, DC
COMPLETION
May 2021
PROJECT TEAM
Davis Construction
GHT Limited
Thorton Thomasetti
DESCRIPTION
This pro bono project, which began as an intended minor refresh of an outdated headquarters for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington at 4103 Benning Road NE in Washington, DC became a major renovation and a “labor of love.” The goal of the renovation was to create a current and elegant aesthetic with limited resources, providing an elegant, functional, and timeless space that would empower staff in their work. The final product vastly improves the presence of the exterior façade, and increases safety and security of employees and visitors.
SIZE
13,219 R SF
LOCATION
Arlington, VA
COMPLETION
November 2018
PROJECT TEAM
Cresa
HBW Construction
GPI Engineering
WGS - Teknion
DESCRIPTION
While working with SNA on their new headquarters, the main objective was to create a space that combines the playful and the professional and supports their assertion that “well-nourished students are prepared to succeed.” The logo provided inspiration for the palette, including lime green, turquoise, and vibrant apple red, paired with golden yellow, warm whites, and light oak and walnut wood accents, creating a lively, warm, and welcoming atmosphere. The backdrop to the reception area is a state-of-the-art reconfigurable conference room with the latest audio-visual technology, adjacent to a catering pantry and phone booth that create an all-inclusive conference zone separate from the studio. The break room is centrally located among the open office layout and is truly the heart of the studio, encouraging collaboration and communal connectivity, featuring a wraparound lime green wall and large-scale graphic fruit tree wallcovering, flanked on either side by custom wood slat ceilings and a vinyl wood tone floor.
SIZE
41,732 RSF
LOCATION
Washington, DC
COMPLETION
April 2012
CERTIFICATION
LEED Silver
PROJECT TEAM
Cresa HITT Construction
Tolk (now Dewberry)
American Office - Herman Miller
DESCRIPTION
The design philosophy for NAM’s new headquarters was to keep the palette simple, using only a few materials and focus on the architectural details while infusing natural light into the space. Walnut veneer creates an executive feel and floor-to-ceiling photography captures images of the past 130 years of manufacturing. Use of glass creates a visual connection among interior spaces and between the interior and exterior environments. New ways of working, rapid and concise communications, and cost-effective operations are the hallmarks for this new headquarters.
SIZE
26,712 R SF
LOCATION
Washington, DC
COMPLETION February 2014
AWARDS
2015 IIDA Design Award
PROJECT TEAM
Cresa Coakley Williams
Loring Engineering
Price Modern
TESTIMONIAL
“CFP Board’s new office space sets the standard for a working environment that is both practical and pleasing to work in. From the clean lines of the design and layout to the open spaces and vibrant colors, our workspace emits good, positive energy. It is the perfect environment for our team to do their very best work—and for our guests to enjoy when they come here.”
Kevin Keller Chief Executive Officer CFP Board, Inc.
LOCATION
Silver Spring, MD
COMPLETION
November 2017
PROJECT TEAM
Cresa
Bognet Construction
GPI Engineering
Bialek - Herman Miller
DESCRIPTION
The design objective for ASPEN’s new headquarters was to create a space that embodies the organization’s dedication to improving patient care by advancing the science and practice of clinical nutrition, and reflects and fosters its innovative and collaborative work culture. To establish an energizing yet soothing work atmosphere, DBI implemented a palette of deep blue, plum, and tangerine, punctuated by warm whites and accents of light oak and dark walnut wood tones. This resonant combination is set off by a custom wheat grain-inspired donor wall that serves as the backdrop within the reception space and complements ASPEN’s branding colors.
ASPEN - AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PARENTERAL AND ENTERAL NUTRITION
