Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Headquarters
A vibrant branded environment was created for the new headquarter building of WMATA, a.k.a the DC Metro. High-visibility wall features help visitors orient themselves in the space, build pride among employees, and cast WMATA as a modern, welcoming entity. The mix of graphics, colors, and textures facilitate interaction throughout the building while leaving a lasting impact on the viewer.
Agency
Practice Area
Client
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
Industry
The Challenge
Too many stories to tell and extensive historical photos, renderings, illustrations and documents within their archive to consider and sift through. Everything had to be filtered and condensed within the limited wall space that was allocated throughout the headquarters building.
Project Vision
To inspire, inform, educate and energize WMATA employees and guests, while telling visual stories that relate to the organization’s mission and purpose. We looked to unify the HQ experience with a guiding conceptual theme, that allows for flexible story telling in each application.
The dynamic timeline composition unites text, imagery, quotes, data, and archival objects into an engaging story that emphasizes WMATA’s growth and impact in the region.
Vivian Marie Doering
WMATA’s extensive archive served as a rich design resource. Their diverse range of physical and digital assets were combed through to create a unique wall graphic on every floor.
Vivian Marie Doering
Design + Execution
The signature lobby installation, made in collaboration with Giles Miller Studio, depicts custom-made silhouettes of WMATA users created from thousands of hexagonal tiles, whose shape were inspired by the iconic floor tiles used throughout the D.C. system. Three continuous walls are made up of the small hexagonal tiles in varying angles, bronze color tones and lusters, to depict silhouettes of the many WMATA riders that use the system every day. When walking past the wall, the varying angles and depths creates a shimmering effect that amplifies the motion and movement reminiscent of the hustle and bustle every single day at each transit location.The eighth level, “Capitol Idea,” is made up of hundreds of archival photo slides that were taken
Each of the seven floors has a unique wall graphic that represents an important WMATA principle that is inherent within the organization, or, a common anecdote or theme.
Vivian Marie Doering
A single, bus-schedule supergraphic unifies the building’s seven-story stairwell. The stacking pattern is created from WMATA’s ubiquitous timetables and integrates timestamps on each floor.
Connie Zhou
The “capital idea” mural is composed of hundreds of photo slides taken during the original construction of multiple D.C. Metro stations.
Vivian Marie Doering
Three continuous walls are made up of thousands of hexagonal tiles in varying angles, color tones
and lusters, to depict the many WMATA riders that use the system every day.
Vivian Marie Doering
The hexagonal shaped tiles were inspired by the iconic hexagonal floor tiles throughout the DC Metro stations across the region, and create a shimmering effect as someone walks past.
Vivian Marie Doering
Project Details
We applaud WMATA for prioritizing meaningful design as part of the new headquarter design. Large-scale placemaking graphics that celebrate their history as a transit authority and the riders they serve elevate the workplace environment.
The graphic installations in this space are an eclectic mix, but the variety brings interest and appeal. The timeline manages to blend old and new visuals in a collage style that’s retro but still feels fresh. In the open stair, bus schedules have never looked so appealing and full of unexpected color.
Design Team
Alexey Ikonomou (creative director)
Andrew Walters (senior designer)
Collaborators
Studios (architecture)
DUO Signage (physical fabrication)
DUO Signage + Graphics (physical fabrication)
Giles Miller Studio (physical fabrication)
Photo Credits
Vivian Marie Doering
Connie Zhou
Open Date
January 2022