Republic Square
Washington DC
The open site at the corner of North Capital Street and Massachusetts Avenue behind the National Guard building had been used for parking for many years and was chosen to be the location of the 560,000 SF Republic Square project.
The façades of the project, made up of two towers, respond to the historic structures of the National Postal Museum across North Capital and the General Printing offices on G Street. To the south, the building is designed to respond to the wide vistas of Massachusetts Avenue and its significant buildings as they progress towards the plaza at Union Station. The Redevelopment Land Authority reviewers were extremely concerned about the prominence of the building on these two major streets and was pleased with how well dp+partners’ design worked within the parameters of complex urban issues.
The brick and precast concrete façade with a center entrance is set back along Massachusetts Avenue and terminates at the western end with a dome-capped cylinder. This element is prominent from a distance and provides a backdrop for the historic Gayle School on the corner. The entrance on North Capital Street presents a narrower face and is set in line with other structures on the street. Service to the buildings is provided from the northern G Street side.