Test bed,
prototype, concept—these are terms used to describe the
Universal Space Plan (USP) being implemented in Wedges 2-5. USP
is one way the Pentagon Renovation Program hopes to advance its
schedule by four year, completing the renovation of the Pentagon
in 2010 rather than 2014. Under the USP, Pentagon offices will
be constructed as generically as possible with a very robust infrastructure,
capable of meeting the requirements of any Pentagon tenant who
may one day occupy that space. The Universal Space plan can accommodate
all standard DoD office configurations. The offices are configured
using open office bays, enhanced natural lighting, “smart
walls” and free standing furniture. “Smart walls are
permanently constructed walls that provide a rigid yet easily
reconfigured space,” said Darryl Henderson, Pentagon Renovation
Tenant Coordinator and Space Planner. “The Universal Space
Plan modernizes the condensed cubicle office environment by adapting
innovative office configurations using free standing furniture
and smart walls.”
The USP lab is 10,000 square
feet of office space in Wedge 2 that has been modified and rebuilt
several times as design concepts were developed and tested. The
Wedge 2-5 design build team including prime contractor Hensel
Phelps Construction and Studios Architecture developed this innovative
design lab that reintroduces components reminiscent of the building’s
original design and purpose including open office bays and use
of enhanced natural lighting. The USP lab provides a testing bed
where decision makers can see the concepts evolve first hand and
test the practicality of their decisions before implementing them
on a larger scale.