GTM Architects' New Home Reflects Firm's Core Values

GTM Architects' New Home Reflects Firm's Core Values

Firm Discusses Unique Design Concepts and Architectural Approach That Provided Basis for New 10,000 Square Foot Workspace

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- GTM Architects, a full service, award-winning architectural and design firm, announced today the foundational design principles behind the firm's new, 10,000 square foot office. Located in Bethesda, Maryland, GTM's goal was to create a workspace with environmentally friendly attributes that would enhance workplace continuity.

In the design of its new office, GTM Architects has created a collaborative workspace that unleashes the potential of architecture and entertains hope, delight and vision. "The fluid interior architecture is punctuated with intense accents of color that infuse both a sense of community and creativity into our work environment," said Diane Taitt, Associate and Senior Designer, GTM Architects.

In addition, the essential linear design works to maximize employee interaction and visibility. To encourage such interaction, centralized support areas are located within an interior circular core proximal to open design studios and glass wall offices that are located on the perimeter of the plan. The positioning of these elements ensures sufficient daylight penetration, essential for employee comfort, and this transparency also provides views into conference rooms, and beyond, thus breathing life into the office landscape.

"While GTM's intent was to create a collaborative space that fosters creativity, we also wished to address some of the social and ethical issues facing the architectural community today," said Taitt. To complement a communal, creative workspace, GTM Architects focused a great deal of effort implementing ecologically aware and environmentally design-friendly concepts into the finished product. As such, many of the architectural and design elements, including all of the furniture, respond to the issue of sustainability. The "green" aspects of the office include energy efficient light fixtures, certified EPP carpet, cork panels, low VOC paints, bamboo walls and ceilings, recycled strawboard millwork and environmentally-friendly custom workstations.

With the intent of showcasing the creative process of design and visualization, materials and graphic images are placed on circular cork walls and a display rail system reveals a constantly changing firm portfolio of past, present and ongoing projects. The palette of neutral colors is infused with elements rich in material textures that include slate tiles, bamboo, cork and concrete columns. Combined, these elements work together to brand the space.

"In our design, we sought to create layers of transparency that would reveal our approach to architecture and design; what we value most about the discipline in terms of putting it into practice." said Taitt. "We also wanted to communicate a sense of the firm's past, present and future; the place where our ideas originated, where we are now and where we see ourselves in the future."

GTM Architects has built an office environment rich in architectural imagery that is intent upon communicating its core values of adaptability, flexibility, collaboration, and openness.

About GTM Architects

GTM Architects, Inc. is a full service, award-winning firm with experience in planning, architecture and interior design. Established in 1989, GTM has grown and diversified with a commitment to excellence in both service and design. Located in Bethesda, Maryland, GTM serves clients in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area and in 26 states nationwide.

With almost 50 employees and over 2,500 projects completed, GTM's team of experts has a depth of expertise in a wide array of industry sectors; including commercial, corporate, single and multi-family residential, healthcare, hospitality, retail, educational, and tennis facility architecture and design. The firm has the capability to meet a wide range of client goals by being responsive, efficient, future-forward and sensitive to budget concerns. Seamless communication, hands-on client involvement, creative problem solving and a collaborative approach allow GTM to build relationships, not just buildings.

GTM Architects has been recognized for its achievements as the recipient of prestigious awards, including two Merit Awards from the Washington chapter of the AIA in the category of historic resources for work on Washington DC's Chinatown area, and Avalon Theatre; The Potomac Valley AIA's "Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture" for the revitalization of the Chinatown area of downtown Washington DC; and the USTA Tennis Facility of the Year award in 2001 for the Junior Champions Center Project in College Park, MD. For more information please visit www.gtmarchitects.com.


Source: GTM Architects, Inc.

CONTACT: Janeen Skelly of GTM Architects, Inc., +1-240-333-2010, or
jskelly@gtmarchitects.com; or Kerry Coulter of Dotted Line Communications,
+1-415-440-2709, or kerry@dottedlinecomm.com, for GTM Architects, Inc.

Web site: http://www.gtmarchitects.com/


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