CLIENTMarx Reality
SERVICESInteriors
LOCATIONWashington, DC
SIZE9,500 sq ft
STATUSCompleted 2021
1307 New York Avenue has a story to tell and STUDIOS worked with Marx Realty to unearth and celebrate it. The building was completed in 1923 to be the home of the Washington Times-Herald and is where Jackie O, then Jacqueline Bouvier, got her start as a newspaper photographer and columnist as the “Inquiring Camera Girl”.
It was while working at the paper that she met and became close to John F Kennedy and it’s rumored he would pick her up out front. The storied pair became a source of inspiration for transforming the over-renovated property lacking character and identity.
STUDIOS and Marx set out to create a one of a kind hospitality-inspired ground floor experience for this central DC address-The Herald. First impressions at the street were transformed as the first level is painted black, a stark contrast to the crisp white facade and glassy addition atop the building. Heavy walnut doors placed at the center of the streetwall have unique bronze H-shaped handles to introduce tenants and visitors to the aesthetic of the interior. The entrance is flanked by two sets of french doors which open onto a patio garden setback from the street. A feeling of exclusivity and intrigue starts at this streetscape and continues to the interior.
The perfect union of Jackie O and JFK defines the feeling of the posh interiors — simultaneously masculine and feminine with nods to the newspaper business that sparked it all.
The perfect union of Jackie O and JFK defines the feeling of the posh interiors--simultaneously masculine and feminine with nods to the newspaper business that sparked it all. The beaux arts building presents a strong architectural framework; this is where the design channels JFK and his tailored suit translates to fluted columns and modern wooden paneling with crisp edges. Jackie’s iconic style can be felt in the furnishings, light fixtures, and finishes serving up clean silhouettes in sumptuous fabrics—an easy elegance. The newspaper influences take on a unique subtlety; whether that’s in the proportions of a three-column bookcase mimicking newspaper layouts or the bronze storefront system in a pattern reminiscent of a linotype machine.
The stately lobby, dubbed the “Bouvier Lounge”, provides ample lounge and workspace for guests and tenants plus a day-to-night bar with a wall of antique mirrors set behind. The doorman building includes a 30-person boardroom available for reservation by tenants with custom wallpaper featuring sketches of Jackie’s most famous outfits. Press Fitness offers a novel yet familiar variation on the sports club with vintage-style rings and battle ropes in addition to personal workout nooks for Mirror or Peloton workouts.
PHOTOGRAPHERJonathan Pilkington