Intelsat headquarters
- Architect
- John Andrews
- Year
- 1984
- City
- Washington, DC
3400 International Drive was built as the U.S. headquarters of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Intelsat), which had outgrown its cramped leased space at L'Enfant Plaza and, starting in 1977, ran an international design competition through the International Union of Architects. Australian architect John Andrews won, and the futuristic, high-tech complex opened in two phases, in 1984 and 1988.
the building
Built in two phases. Andrews' design was constructed by the Gilbane Building Company and delivered in two stages eight years apart, 1984 and 1988, reflecting the phased growth of Intelsat, an organization founded in 1964 to serve member countries worldwide.
the style
The complex is a rare Washington example of high-tech architecture, its structure expressed on the exterior rather than hidden behind a traditional masonry skin, an intentional break from the federal city's classical norm.
More on Structuralism / High-Techsignificance
The building was designated a landmark in the DC Inventory of Historic Sites by the Historic Preservation Review Board in April 2019. From 2019 to 2022 it also housed the DC campus of Whittle School & Studios.
nearby
- Sedgwick Gardens
- Ponce de Leon Apartment Building
- Slayton, William L., House (and Interior)
- Uptown Theater
- Tregaron Estate
- The Kennedy-Warren