GGA worked with the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to expand and relocate the association's Washington, DC offices. GGA designed and built an innovative office environment for NAPA, which was specific to it's mission and conducive to the 90-person organizational structure.The design concentrated on producing a professional and pleasant workspace that would allow managing principals and researchers to focus on their work. The office layout features a mix of private offices and clusters of workstations, which are organized around simple circulation pathways, and which are flooded with natural light. The simplicity and efficiency of the layout combined with a palette of natural-colored finishes promotes the studious environment, encouraging researchers as they collect and analyze data prior for inclusion in reports and publications.The design organization concentrates conference spaces around a generously-sized, wood-paneled lobby to accommodate the collaborative activities of the organization. In making this particular design choice, NAPA enjoys simple, direct access to conference rooms, lounges, information kiosks and all necessary ancillary rooms, while promoting formal and informal encounters before and after meetings. The dynamics of the lobby offer a subtle contrast to the quietness of the office space, similar to the contrasts between a bustling piazza and its surrounding public buildings.
