1400 Crystal Drive
Project Stats
- Location
Crystal City, Virginia
- Size
310,000 SF
- Role
Architect of Record
- Certifications
LEED Gold
- Market
- Expertise
Reimagining a 1960s building frame
1400 Crystal Drive is a 310,000-square-foot, Class A, 14-floor office building with views across the Potomac River to Washington, D.C. Originally built in 1968, the structure was transformed into a contemporary workplace with a renewed presence.
The recycling project began with an existing office building designed for the workplace of its time — a compact, boxy volume with a solid exterior and limited interior daylight. The team retained the structure’s original post-tension frame as the foundation for the comprehensive redesign, remassed the building with a 37,000-square-foot extension, and integrated new building systems.
This approach required close coordination between existing conditions and the new design plan and allowed original and new elements to perform as a single, cohesive structure.
Merging past and present perspectives
The redesign brings the original structure and new architecture together, most visibly in the exterior elevation. A glass curtainwall replaces the original solid envelope, drawing daylight deeper into the interior and extending views of the Potomac River and the Washington, D.C., skyline. Exposed structural armatures support the new curtainwall extensions, leaving the connection between the original frame and the new envelope in plain view.
At both street level and throughout the interior, the building was reorganized around new priorities. The building entry was reconfigured by moving parking and loading zones, choices that allowed the team to extend the new lobby to the corner and create a modern, engaging public plaza. The interiors were also reshaped for today’s workforce, including integrated systems designed to enhance occupant comfort and well-being. By reusing the original strucutre, the team was able to conserve materials and embodied carbon while delivering a workplace that meets contemporary performance standards
A blueprint for renewal
Reimagined for a new era, 1400 Crystal Drive demonstrates how an existing office building can be transformed into a high-performance, competitive workplace. The project offers a model for the Washington, D.C., region, where the reuse of commercial structures presents meaningful opportunities to modernize the office market while advancing sustainability goals.
The LEED Gold-certified project has been recognized with multiple honors, including the AIA Award of Merit, the NAIOP Award of Excellence, and the WBC Craftsmanship Award.
This project was completed by FOX Architects before its acquisition by Corgan in April 2026.
