Brought to you by:Architect: Robert A.M. Stern ArchitectsLocation:Washington D.C.Completion Date:2024The latest addition to Georgetown Universitys Capitol Campus in downtown Washington, D.C. is the McCourt School of Public Policy. Previously located at the institutions primary Hilltop campus, the school occupied an aging midcentury building and was in need of a fresh start. Its new facility, designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA), situates the school of policy in the center of national politics, located just minutes from the U.S. Capitol. With its aluminum panel cladding and limestone base, the new McCourt School of Public Policy is designed to complement its neighbor, a concrete Brutalist building from the 1970s. The McCourt School connects to the adjacent office building via a series of sky bridges. (Francis Dzikowski/OTTO)RAMSA has a long working history with Georgetown University dating back to the 1990s. Most recently, the firm has been heavily involved in the development of the universitys Capitol Campus. RAMSA prepared the original masterplan for the site and, in addition to the McCourt School, has designed two nearby student residences. The Capitol Campus was built around the Georgetown Law Center, which has been located downtown for many years. Constructed on a previously undeveloped lot, the McCourt School sits adjacent to 500 First Street, a former office building that was acquired by the Georgetown Law Center. The policy school is physically connected to 500 First through a series of sky bridges, while also mimicking the rhythm of the buildings punched windows.Vertical fins on the buildings aluminum elevations help to reduce solar heat gain. (Francis Dzikowski/OTTO)The McCourt School is primarily clad in plate aluminum panels that were fabricated to include vertical fins that reduce solar heat gain.Most people build things out of a composite materials, said Kevin Smith, partner at RAMSA. [Using plate aluminum] gave us the straightest lines, allowed it to be built in a factory, and brought in this very sharp and lovely reflections. We designed the whole [facade] with an interesting A-B rhythm inspired by the Law School building, but with a lot of concern, to create shadows for architectural interest as well as solar control. A lot of effort went into making sure the building is both beautiful and sustainable, he added. The bottom level of the building is wrapped with cast limestone blocks, a gesture that references the materials used for nearby law school, while also signifying the solidity of the structure. The McCourt School is targeting LEED Platinum certification.A penthouse garden occupies the roof of the McCourt School with art installations by Maya Lin. (Francis Dzikowski/OTTO)Like any building on Capitol Hill, the policy schools massing was determined largely by Washington, D.C.s strict zoning ordinance known as the Height Act, which restricts building height to 90 feet. Though the McCourt School was designed with high ceiling heights that are conducive to educational programs, the same cannot be said of the adjacent 500 First building, which as a speculative office building from the 1970s, was designed with reduced ceiling heights to maximize leasable square footage. This complicated the sky bridge connections between the two buildings.Each level of the new building is fed with natural light. (Francis Dzikowski/OTTO)On the interior, circulation occurs through a winding central staircase that connects each of the structures nine floors. This path is bookended by two large convening spaces. A 400-person auditorium occupies the bottom floor, while the top level features a meeting space with sweeping views of downtown D.C. Between these spaces are a series of classrooms, lounges, and faculty offices. Peppered throughout the building are original art installations designed by Maya Lin. Collectively known as Mapping our Place in the World, the work grounds occupants in place and prompts them to consider their connection to the larger world, according to a press release. This includes Mapping the Potomac, a glass marble depiction of the Potomac watershed; an audio visual installation titled Whether Birdswhere pre-programmed lights and recordings change according to weather patterns; and Sky Garden,an elliptical bench surrounded by native plantings on the buildings roof.Maya Lins Mapping the Potomac hangs from the ceiling on the top floor of the building. (Francis Dzikowski/OTTO)While the primary mission for the McCourt School of Public Policy was to improve the policy schools academic facilities, the new building also serves as an experiment in legitimizing Georgetowns new Capitol Campus, leading the way for future expansion on the site. When we first met with Georgetown and asked the faculty about this project, they were deeply negative about the idea of being forced off, or exiled from the [Hilltop] campus, said Graham Wyatt, partner at RAMSA. When the building opened, it could not have been a more different reaction. They are thrilled the place is packed with faculty and students.Project SpecificationsArchitect: Robert A.M. Stern ArchitectsGeneral Contractor: Whiting TurnerCivil Engineer: DewberryMEP: GHT LimitedStructural Engineer: Thornton TomasettiCode: Jensen HughesCost Estimating: VermeulensElevator: Van Deusen & AssociatesSustainability, Lighting: Atelier TenAV/IT Security: SMWIrrigation: Lynch AssociatesArborist: WetlandsWaterproofing: Morrison HershfieldEnvironmental Graphics: Roll BarresiFacade Access: Lerch BatesEnvelope Consultant: FrontCurtain Wall / Aluminum Composite Panels: TSI Corporations