The school's location in the heart of the nation's capital, where the national and international government agencies and business interests intersect, provides students with access to the centers of power for industry and government. GW's School of Business and Public Management acquired its name in 1990. The school seeks to provide the knowledge and skills business leaders and management professionals need today's competitive and rapidly changing global economy.

The School of Business recently opened its new facility, the newly constructed Ric Dawn Dequès Hall and the renovated Norma Lee and Morton Funger Hall. Duques Hall is a six-story addition to a 1967 classroom building.

The new facility features state-of-the-art classrooms, team rooms, computer labs, a career center, and student study and meeting lounges as well as a food venue, Java City. In addition, Duques Hall houses a Capital Markets Room that enables students to access real-time quotes, use proprietary software and financial information systems, and learn skills necessary for financial modeling, trading, and portfolio management. An executive conference center and a 115-seat auditorium for guest lecturers and special events are also part of the new facility.

The team in charge of renovating and building Duques Hall included the architectural firm of Smith Group, Inc., Washington, D.C.; Nancy Giammatteo, university architecture manager; Ilex Woodworking, Inc, an AWI member firm located in baltimore, Maryland; and general contractor Whiting Turner, Chantilly Virginia.

Modern Environment
According to Eric Carle, AIA of the Smith Group, the primary design consideration was to “create an open, modern environment for today’s student where the building and student work in concert with each other and foster a learning environment that looks toward the future of business.”

the objective was achieved with the integration of open working environments framed by wood walls. the overall effect is a rich environment for learning. A light stained White Maple is used for the wood frames which helps create a contemporary and soothing atmosphere.

Woodwork is an integral part of the first and second floors in the public, ceremonial spaces, and on the sixth floor which houses the Dean's Offices, boardroom and executive classrooms. Giammatteo explains that “woodwork was used throughout to add warmth and enhance the feeling of upscale, professional spaces, befitting our new Business School facility.”

Ilex Woodworking produced and installed 8,000 square feet of Maple paneling for the project, 17,000 square feet of painted panels, and high pressure decorative laminate casework.

Coordinating the paneling at ten elevator lobbies, corridors, classrooms, offices and meeting rooms was a very challenging aspect of the project, reports Mike Alt, Jr. of Ilex.

Simple Elegance
Giammatteo notes the most intricate part of the project as being the monumental two-story staircase which is the focal point of the atrium. the atrium dramatically connects the two-tiered classroom floors. “The matching of the panels, in terms of staining and grain, is flawless,” she says. “In addition, the sixth floor lobby is quite handsome.”

Carle agrees that integrating all the building materials throughout the space was an intricate and noteworthy accomplishment. Most notably, he explains, in the large lounge/lobby areas of the first two floors where the architectural woodwork and the storefront systems joined together “to make a clean, crisp wall and tight interior. the wood panels framed the storefront openings with beauty and richness and allowed us to achieve our goal.”

It may be “business as usual” at George Washington University’s revitalized School of Business, but the students, faculty and staff are taking care of what needs to be done in a beautiful, inviting new environment.

© Winter 2006 DesignSolutions