Helicopter Association

As the new owner of 1920 Ballenger Avenue in Alexandria, Virginia, the Helicopter Association International (HAI) commissioned MWAP to provide full interior design services for their new two-story, 32,000-sf headquarters and to providing leasing support for the remaining office and retail lease space on the Street Level and Second Floor. HAI purchased this 4-story building from its developer, LCOR. MWAP’s association dates back even farther to its original design and construction when MWAP Principal, George Eisenberger, was the architect for the building.

The HAI Headquarters design was a unique opportunity to design solutions not constrained by a short duration of a lease. Occupying the top two floors, the headquarters program is divided between dedicated HAI office/support spaces; and conference/training spaces which can simultaneously serve HAI, affiliated groups and other building tenants. From the fourth floor reception area, an open steel, marble and glass stair connects to the third floor conference facility as well as additional HAI office and support spaces. An auxiliary reception for the conference facility foyer is provided from the third floor elevator lobby for independent conferences.

Most HAI personnel are located in perimeter private offices with open administrative spaces on the opposite side of the perimeter corridor. Offices located on interior cross corridors, primarily to accommodate staff growth, have floor-to-ceiling, wood-framed, glazed interior partitions facing the corridors. The third floor conference is organized around a wide foyer gallery, with display niches for helicopter models and other associated items. This foyer links the conference rooms, large multi-use room, and octagonal corner break-out space with the connecting stair to the fourth floor. Other special spaces include a video studio with control room and a generous employee break room. Multiple HAI team rooms are also distributed between the two levels.

The entire HAI  Headquarters is accentuated with crisp and modern materials, alluding to helicopters, but in a transitional style that includes stained cherry paneling, framed interior glazed partitions and office doors. A rooftop terrace is also planned for use by HAI personnel.