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CASE STUDY

Modern Stonework
The Lobby at 1700 Pennsylvania Ave NW

1700 Pennsylvania Ave NW is notable for its proximity to the White House and National monuments in DC. Rugo renovated this iconic building to be one of the most recognizable office buildings in the city. 

The main lobby of the building features a modern, polygonal-shaped floor pattern and a minimalistic, floating desk design. These were crafted in a cream limestone with a honed finish, and the lobby and elevator walls use the same stone with a fine-textured brushed finish.

The stone pavers at the perimeter of the floors connect to several curved, decorative metal walls with a consistent 3” reveal, to achieve separation of the floor from the walls, creating a “floating” appearance.  

The overall design called for a uniform and homogenous look to compliment the open lobby design. The lobby walls were designed to have “open” joints, so no joint sealants were used. The stone panels were rebated in the back face to conceal the stainless steel anchors used to install the walls. These stone walls span throughout the lobby perimeters and into the entrance vestibule visible from the street. The sunlight from the outside hitting the vestibule wall helps show the texture of the wall stone. 

The lobby also features a floor-to-wall curved glass wall that encapsulates a work desk on one side. We precisely cut the stone pavers around this glass wall to follow the shape of the curved wall, and since the joints on either side of the glass walls would be visible, the cuts needed to be clean and precise. Obtaining Autocad drawings from the glass subcontractor allowed us to cut several templates and lay them out on the floor to ensure accuracy before cutting each of the pavers in the field.

Location: Washington, DC
Completion Date: 2021
Owner: Akridge
Architect: Gensler
General Contractor: The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Services Performed: Interior Lobby Floors, Walls & Lobby Desk. Design, Consultation, Supply, Fabrication and Installation.
Size: 8,700 Sqft

From Our Clients:

“What a great experience! Every interaction from the first visit to the final inspection was professional and service oriented. They took the time to help us find the perfect stone and then had an installation team that was extremely detail-oriented and friendly. I know they do larger projects than ours but they made us feel very appreciated. Thank you to Brett Rugo, Sam Arcot and the rest of the team!  We would most certainly use and recommend you again!!”

“Your mason was an artist and a master craftsman! Wow — he really did an amazing job on our challenging project!”

“When I was a little boy, my parents and grandparents taught me five principles: Honor, Dignity, Respect, Integrity, and Passion. Very very few have all five. My dear friend Brett not only has those qualities and values––he defines them.”

“One of the things that impressed me so much about Brett, his meticulousness, his desire, his passion to do it right the first time.”

“I know how meticulous [Brett] is in his craftsmanship. That’s really a dying art, not just in the stone business, or my business, but throughout the construction industry.”

“I think Brett is the most knowledgeable guy that I know in the stone business and is extremely passionate about the stone industry. He’s taught me a great deal––by taking me to stone quarries, explaining everything from installation to fabrication. He’s just been a walking book of knowledge on stone.”

“With Rugo Stone and with Brett Rugo, you’ll have someone who is reliable, thorough, dedicated, efficient, and will work to perfection. He will not stop until everything is done the way it’s supposed to be done. Brett is one of those individuals who, whenever you ask for something, he comes through on it, and he is willing and able to please.”

“Brett is a driven individual, and so therefore, he has wanted to make sure that everything he does is done just right.”

“Brett has thankfully achieved a great name for himself and for his company, and he is known for his quality, craftsmanship work, that no matter where he goes, no matter what he does, it’s going to be done to perfection.”

“We can judge the tree by the fruit it bears, and this holds true for Rugo Stone. The work speaks for itself, and it is pretty exceptional. The entire organization has a real commitment to quality, from the shop drawings, to engineering, material sourcing, fabrication, and then installation, and that commitment is reflected in the end result.”

Driven by Passion. Dedicated to Excellence.

We lend a sophisticated aesthetic and world-class expertise to large scale and special projects. Clients include religious, civic, cultural and educational institutions, public agencies, private developers, major corporations, and individuals.