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The earliest automobiles tended to be haphazard-looking things— identity. “It’s based in Japan, obviously, but it’s transitioning to
ungainly assemblages of overstuffed seats, flimsy fenders, rickety becoming a US corporation, too,” said Goebel. “There was a new
wheels, and clumsy protuberances housing crude headlights. By person leading this office, and he wanted the space to project an
the mid-20th century, most car manufacturers had adopted a more image of bold leadership.”
holistic design approach, albeit one that often favored memorable The office occupies two levels of a building in the Penn Quarter
form over mundane function. Today, even the most average cars neighborhood. The lower level includes a generous reception and
are marvels of integrated design and engineering, with advanced conference area, the site of frequent events for political and business
materials and electronics incorporated into digitally sculpted leaders, along with offices for personnel working on regulatory
bodies assembled with precision. issues. The upper level consists mostly of offices for policy-oriented
The new Toyota Government Affairs Office, by Gensler, staffers along with employee amenity spaces. Connecting the two
evokes the elegance, technological sophistication, and meticulous levels is a swirling staircase with cast terrazzo treads and curved
craftsmanship associated with some of the finest modern-day cars. glass railings supported by a pair of twisting steel beams finished
The finish materials are sleek yet sturdy, seating is firm yet in lustrous but environment-friendly low-VOC (volatile organic
comfortable, and aesthetic accents are employed judiciously. The compound) paint.
details of the interior partitions, built-in furnishings, lighting, and “[Toyota] had already chosen this space when we were hired,
other permanent elements are carefully designed and precisely [and] there was already a hole in the floor for stairs between the
executed. The space feels contemporary in the truest sense of the two levels,” Goebel noted, “but it was in the wrong place. We
word—it is absolutely of-the-moment, but free of trendy motifs explained to them why it was important to move, and fortunately,
that might make it feel dated after a short time. they agreed. So we cut a new hole and built the stair.” That decision
Gensler’s team, led by Jill Goebel, IIDA, LEED AP, design was obviously an expensive one, but its wisdom is evident: the
director and principal, drew inspiration from the concept of craft, staircase now serves as the monumental centerpiece of the office’s
which they saw as a link between traditional Japanese culture— most public area. Much like a grand hearth in a classic open-plan,
think of exquisitely made boxes and delicate origami—and modern mid-20th-century house, it simultaneously unites the space while
car-making. That link seemed to mirror Toyota’s evolving corporate defining subspaces where small groups may gather for conversation.

Project: Toyota Government Affairs Offices,
Washington, DC
Architects: Gensler
Structural Engineers: Thornton Tomasetti
Mechanical/Civil Engineers: Girard Engineering
Lighting Consultants: SBLD Studio
Acoustical Consultants: Miller, Beam & Paganelli, Inc.
Commissioning Agents: Sustainable Building Partners
Contractor: HITT Contracting, Inc.

All photos © Garrett Rowland

TAKING THE OFFICE FOR A SPIN 65