Original Construction
1801
Completion Date
2010
Size
10,000 sqft National Historic Register

The American Institute of Architects’ Headquarters in Washington, D.C. stands as a premier testament to architectural historic preservation, centered around the landmark Octagon House. Built in 1801, the building carries immense national history, serving as the temporary White House in the early 1800s and as the signing site of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. After becoming part of the AIA headquarters in 1889, a sustainable renewal effort kicked off in 2007 with HopkinsBurns as the project’s Historic Preservation consultant.

HopkinsBurns developed the foundational Cultural Landscape and Historic Structure Reports, alongside a comprehensive Existing Conditions Evaluation, that directly informed the Octagon House renovation. By establishing a framework that seamlessly integrated 21st-century environmental stewardship with strict preservation ethics, HopkinsBurns successfully upgraded the building's operational efficiency and technological capacity without diminishing its landmark integrity or historical significance.