Constellation
4000 Connecticut

The complex features 14 interconnected "pods" grouped around taller glass and stainless steel atria, with external circular stairwells made glass bricks and concrete. Innovative for its time, the design emphasizes energy efficiency through tinted-glass sunscreens and open-air atria. It also includes interior and exterior water features for cooling and terraced roof gardens that preserve large trees. As one of Washington, D.C.'s first “green buildings,” INTELSAT serves as a model for energy-efficient architecture. While the building spans 917,000 square feet, only 546,000 square feet are usable office space, with the rest allocated to the central corridor, atria, and public areas.