ASSEMBLY FOOD HALL, ROSSLYN CITY CENTER, Arlington, Va.
RETROFIT TEAM
ARCHITECT: Cooper Carry
OWNER, DEVELOPER: AREP
FOOD HALL OPERATOR: DMK
FOOD HALL INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT: StudioK
METALWORK: Shickel
MATERIALS
To bring AREP’s vision for a reimagined Rosslyn City Center to life, Cooper Carry brightened the formerly brown brick exterior with light gray paint and added a bright, metallic silver coating on the windows dotting the perimeter of the tower. The refreshed exterior provided a canvas for a bold mural created by nationally recognized No Kings Collective that transforms the streetscape and encourages viewers to Dream Big.
A curtainwall and metal paneling system replaces the original brown pebble precast paneling on the first three floors and features pops of blue accents throughout as a nod to Rosslyn City Center’s brand. The revitalized exterior adds interest to the retail level and helps draw Metro users vertically through the space.
Within Assembly, black metal, a variety of tile patterns and warm wood textures outfit the culi- nary collective, which is composed of an upper and lower level capable of hosting 625 patrons indoors and outdoors. Windows throughout the food hall act as glimpses into some of the dining spaces, with a few featuring fun graphics that create visual interest for patrons.
The following is a sampling of materials used in the project:
EXTERIOR PAINT: Breathable Masonry Coating II from Prosoco
CURTAINWALL: Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope
METAL PANELS: Alucobond
WALL TILE: Elm Surfaces, Porcelanosa and Tilebar
FLOOR TILE: Cerasarda Cotto and Elm Surfaces
INTERIOR STOREFRONT: USA Millwork and Carvart
INTERIOR FOLDING WALL: Nanawall
LIGHTING: Luminii, Halo, USAI, Tudo & Co., Archipelago, 2Modern, Satco, RBW, Lithonia Lighting and UltraLights
THE RETROFIT
The pièce de resistance of the repositioning of this 22-story aging and tired office tower is Assembly, a 29,000-square-foot food hall, featuring two levels of individual food stations.
Assembly introduces dining vignettes designed to appeal to a wide range of guests. To maximize use and provide diners with multiple eating options, Cooper Carry separated the dining lounge into three sections for corporate and customized events, happy hours, private lunch meetings and casual meals with friends. Flexible seating extends to the atrium, where a large open space can accommodate a variety of guest types. Other hospitality highlights include a large private event space and massive wine cellar, connected to an intimate dining room.
“Our design strategy dramatically transformed this late 1970s space into a modern, transit-connected, mixed-use community anchored by an exciting new food experience unlike any other in the area,” says Sam Bennett, associate principal at Cooper Carry. “We opened up the insular retail footprint, modernized the office exteriors and incorporated interesting art, lighting and other design elements to draw people vertically through the space.”
The renovation expanded the retail footprint, joining the 30,000-square-foot Gold’s Gym with existing retail tenants—Rosslyn Metro Barbershop, Panera Bread and Chase Bank, for a total of 84,000 square feet of retail space. Connected to the gym is a nearly 2,000-square-foot outdoor terrace that allows for al fresco fitness classes and outdoor dining and socializing.
“The reimagined Rosslyn City Center answers our tenants’ needs for flexibility, adaptability, experience and performance,” says AREP Principal and Chief Operating Officer Paul Schulman. “Cooper Carry understood our vision; their skillful design has helped us transform this building into an exciting place where people can be and perform at their best while bringing to our tenants and the surrounding community best-in- class amenities to enjoy.”
Rosslyn City Center has received the WELL Health-Safety Rating and ULI Industries-Verified Healthy Building for Indoor Air and Water.