NCARB

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) approached OTJ Architects to lead the development of a new headquarters that would align the physical space to organizational objectives by celebrating a 100-year old history, amplifying mission and culture, inspiring staff, and supporting member outreach.

With a mandate to transcend the mere application of materials, the design of the new NCARB headquarters results from a collaborative process that engaged the client’s own architecturally trained staff to arrive at a triangular concept of intersecting lines and planes that illustrates the architect’s professional journey from study, to registration examination, and licensure. Immediately adjacent to the reception area, a series of ceiling wood slats engraved with the names of past NCARB presidents – a metaphor for the organization’s backbone – honors the contributions of visionaries who have advanced the practice of architecture in America and many of its territories.

In keeping with NCARB’s employee focused culture, prime real estate was allocated to Earl’s Café: a multi-purpose lounge, named in honor of one of the organization’s facilities veterans. A custom wall graphic, comprised of the seals of 55 licensing boards, pays homage to architectural icons as the Lincoln Memorial, The Chrysler Building, and the Guggenheim Museum. Adjacent to the Café, a standing height table faces a state-of-the-art audio-visual suite that facilitates agile project management meetings. In response to the emergence of a new generation of agile management that drives innovation and productivity by drawing together cross-functional groups, our team integrated sit-to-stand furniture solutions that allow for rapid touch-bases while ensuring that all staff has ready access to an abundance of scrum rooms. Lastly, as a testament to NCARB’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the wellbeing of its staff, the new headquarters is LEED Gold and Fitwel building standard certified.