Wilbur J. Cohen Building

Mills + Schnoering Architects completed design services for Total Workplace renovations to a 35,000 sf space on the fourth floor of the National Register-listed, 1940 Wilbur J. Cohen Building. The conversion to an open office configuration grew out of the General Services Administration’s need to accommodate the reintegrated functions of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) back into the building.

The space now houses more than 150 BBG staff in an open desk configuration with large conference, training, and “huddle” rooms throughout, where previously it held 130 with no large conference areas. Audio-visual infrastructure includes video and teleconferencing capabilities in multiple conference rooms. To increase the open character of the space, meeting rooms with glass walls float within the office areas. Glass-walled rooms define the entry sequence from the corridor to the Director’s conference room and workstation. Functions within the space include a break room, satellite pantries, computer help desk, large training room, computer training room, and a “brainstorming” room with flexible furniture and whiteboards. Throughout the space, colors and patterns on walls, floors, and furniture are used to organize the large area into small neighborhoods. Improvements were also made to mechanical, electrical, and fire protection systems to accommodate the plan changes. All other parts of the building remained occupied throughout construction.