Mission Critical and Support Facilities Featured Project:
Greater Washington Board of Trade International Gateway gallery

Client: Greater Washington Board of Trade
Location: International Trade Center, Washington, DC

Located in the International Trade Center and part of the Ronald Reagan Building, the International Gateway is a high-profile, storefront-type environment that facilitates interaction between the Washington business community looking to provide products and services globally, and international businesses looking to do business in or relocate to this region. The International Gateway provides business research and information, international connections, and investment and trade promotion services. Equally important is its ability to function as an open and elegant entertainment venue.

Settles Associates' mission was to combine these functions into an odd-shaped space totaling under 4,000 S.F, and create a sleek, sophisticated environment. The major features of the Greater Washington Board of Trade space are:

• Sweeping open reception/visitor/prefunction area

• Large conferencing/presentation room

• Suite consisting of four staff offices located adjacent to the reception area

• Support functions hidden adjacent to the meeting room including a catering kitchen and office services

The design intent was to create an environment befitting and compatible with the elegant Ronald Reagan Building using the following:

• Color pallet consisting of gray butternut, silver, and black

• Stainless steel materials

• Sandblasted glass

• Anigre wood, polymyx walls

• Strong horizontal emphasis that reflects the horizontal windows surrounding this visible and open space

• Large ceiling oculi with concealed cold cathode cove lighting and halogen pendant accent lights

The facility has state-of-the-art mission support technology. The reception area contains a gas plasma screen for continuous viewing of videos of Washington, cable programs, presentations, and PowerPoint graphics. The area also contains surround sound speakers; three interactive, recessed under-glass computer monitors for visitors; and two staff workstations that double as catering stations. The conference/presentation room contains a computer-operated rear screen projection system with the ability to present in any medium. There are computer docking stations, audio conferencing, a surround sound system, and a gas plasma screen for presentations by conference sponsors. This multimedia and multipurpose room can seat 40 at tables or 80 auditorium style. The chairs are stacking and the tables are readily disassembled for easy storage.

Since opening in September 1999, the International Gateway has hosted hundreds of visitors at numerous events. It has been deemed an unqualified success.