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Lobby, with sculpted wall—evoking the slot canyons of Arizona Decision Theater, the design of which was inspired by
—at left, and exterior of Decision Theater at right. the War Room in the movie Dr. Strangelove.

The “slot” canyons of Arizona were the inspiration. The are isolated from the building’s structure and have
effects of water and wind acting over millennia were high acoustic separation ratings, similar to those of a
translated to digitally-modeled forms created by a CNC recording studio.
(computer numeric control) fabrication system in which CORE’s primary interior design work occurred
two pulleys pulled a diamond-cut rope across the at the lobby level and the new eighth floor, which
surface of the stone. This yielded the general form that features a glass-walled space that functions as a
CORE sought, but sandblast-sculpting by hand was classroom, auditorium, and ballroom/event space. “We
necessary for the full effect, reducing the sharpness of spent a great deal of time hiding the technology and
the edges and highlighting natural striations in accommodating the different layout configurations…
the rock. to make it as flexible but impressive as possible,”
The resultant feature is a blend of modern and noted Peli. The pièce de résistance, requiring two post-
ancient, abstractly tying the DC facility to Arizona. tensioned concrete beams, is the outside corner, where
It forms the west wall of the entrance lobby, its custom six-panel sliding doors can open the entire
undulating diamonds a counterpoint to the curved space to the adjacent terrace (which, with its views to
wood slats of the east wall. To those in the know, at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building—part of the
least, the east wall announces another ASU-specific White House complex—a block east, unmistakably
feature of the building: the “Decision Theater,” which says “Washington”).
is “an accelerated decision-making simulation room, of The center houses an impressive array of programs
which [ASU has] several all over the world,” according that benefit enormously from the location: four
to Christopher Peli, the project designer at CORE. different ASU schools; multiple think-tanks related to
He added, “On the inside, we had a little fun with the ASU and the southwest; a policy journal; and ASU’s
idea of this intense ‘situation room’ simulator.” The federal government relations office. As renovated, the
big circular light fixture and dark acoustic surfaces building now sparkles amid the more utilitarian office
were the design team’s homage to the War Room in the buildings of the Golden Triangle, and symbolizes the
classic Cold War movie Dr. Strangelove. growing ties between Arizona and DC.
The Decision Theater is very acoustically sensitive.
It would not normally occupy such a visible and
prominent—but noisy—location, but the building’s
first floor (lowered to street grade) was the only story
with sufficient ceiling height. The floor and partitions

AZ IN DC 47