HOK is a global firm with 1,700 people collaborating across a network of 26 offices on three continents. They specialize in landscape architecture, architecture, lighting design, experience design, interior design, planning and urban design, on-site space management, sustainable design, engineering, and consulting. HOK is a collective of future-forward thinkers and designers who are driven to face the critical challenges of our time. The firm is dedicated to improving people's lives, serving their clients, and healing the planet. Together, HOK cultivates a culture of design excellence at the confluence of art and science, blending the power of creative expression with a clear sense of purpose. There are three Landscape Architects in HOK's Washington, D.C. studio and 17 Landscape Architects firm-wide, as well as 13 landscape designers.
Software used: Revit, Rhino, AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Cloud, Affinity, Bluebeam Revu

1771 N Street NW, Washington, D.C.

A: The design of 1771 N Street takes a 1960s legacy building and updates it with a stunning new glass facade, rejuvenated outdoor spaces, and interior improvements that immediately make it more welcoming and dynamic. A spacious new entry plaza focuses on the creation of human-scale spaces, akin to "rooms in the garden," shaded by trees. A serpentine ribbon expression meanders throughout the tiered plaza, taking form as a planter wall, a seat wall, and walking surfaces. This gesture invites the community to come in and enjoy a moment of respite in this bustling urban pocket. The LEED Gold renovation reduced building energy and water use by 35 percent and retains all stormwater on site. This 60,000-square-foot project won a series of awards, including the Innovative Project of the Year in New Construction from USGBC, an Honor Award from the ASLA St. Louis Chapter, and a Merit Award from the ASLA Maryland Chapter, among others.

 
Emory University Health Sciences Research Building II, Atlanta, Georgia

B: Emory University's new Health Sciences Research Building II is a distinguished biomedical research building facilitating discovery of new ways to improve human health. Sustainable design strategies include a daylighting approach for all occupied spaces; automated shades for mitigating heat gain and controlling glare; a solar panel array; a microgrid energy management system; a green roof plaza along the side of the building facing Emory's Lullwater Preserve; a geothermal well field below the surface parking; permeable paving at the surface parking; a rainwater capture system; and space for a future blackwater capture system. Biophilic design elements support occupant wellness while establishing a strong sense of place. A six-story interior green wall at the entrance encourages use of an adjacent stairway and connects people with nature. This project won the AIA Georgia People's Choice Award in the Unbuilt Project category.

Howard County Circuit Courthouse,
Ellicott City, Maryland

C: The new Howard County Circuit Courthouse is located on a 30-acre brownfield site and prioritizes harmony with the adjacent woodlands and surrounding residential areas. By moving the parking to a structure, much of the site was freed up for expansive public plazas, landscape elements, and art installations. HOK also restored over 50 percent of the impervious areas to a natural state. The design incorporates native plants that are well-suited to the surrounding Appalachian Oak forest ecosystem, bringing the site significantly closer to its original condition by adding 210 trees and 128,300 square feet of wildflower meadow. A shared-use pathway provides a safe space for pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters. A landscaped island guides drivers to the main entry plaza drop-off as entry gardens featuring low groundcover and shrubbery define the space between vehicular and pedestrian areas. An all?(C)e of cherry trees leads visitors from the parking garage to the cafeteria and courthouse. This project won a Merit Award from the ASLA Maryland Chapter, among others.

LG North American Headquarters,
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

E: LG's North American headquarters needed a flagship facility showcasing its leadership in sustainability while protecting the iconic vistas and integrity of an adjacent National Historic Landmark. HOK's team collaborated with LG's leaders and local conservation groups to create a design that nestles the 350,000-square-foot building into the landscape and below the tree line. The design preserves existing woodlands and wetlands while adding more than 1,500 native trees. Overall, the design adds 50 percent more green space to the site and reduces the site's impervious area by nearly 35 percent. Every available portion of the office wings and parking facilities are utilized for green roofs or solar panels, totaling 142,500 square feet of green roofs that supply 30 percent of the building's electricity. A large retention pond was added to reduce site runoff. The amenity-rich grounds include outdoor dining areas, terraces, contemplative Korean gardens, just under a mile of walking trails, a basketball court, gardens, and a great lawn for events. This project received Honor Awards from the Potomac, Maryland, and New Jersey ASLA Chapters.

U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

F: As part of the design-build team led by conceptual designer Andropogon Associates, HOK provided landscape architecture and interior design services for the Coast Guard's LEED Gold headquarters, an 11-story project commissioned by the U.S. General Services Administration in Washington's Anacostia neighborhood. HOK's design provides continuity between the surrounding woodlands and an adjacent historic government campus Rainwater that falls onto the green roofs permeates through the plant roots and soil and into a drainage system that leads to a stormwater pond for reuse in irrigation. This project was the recipient of the GSA Design Excellence Honor Award in Planning/Landscape.