Bell Helicopter contracted rand* to provide preconstruction and construction services for their Advanced Vertical Lift Demonstration Center in Arlington, Virginia. rand* was onboarded to the project during design development to provide budget updates through design and constructability reviews to keep the project within the client’s budget. The high-end design features extensive custom materials and elements that made the preconstruction period paramount for project delivery. rand* utilized this time to work with the Bell and HKS to develop a pre-release package for critical items to meet the completion date for the aggressive eleven-week schedule.

The program for the project features: lobby/reception, open offices, conference rooms, private conference, employee lounge, and an open exhibit area for demonstrations. The project is showcased by its custom elements including: stone, millwork, custom glass, and a/v package. A virtual reality room was installed in the exhibit space along with a helicopter flight simulator housed in a custom helicopter cockpit. Coordination between subcontractor trades and owner vendors was critical for the design intent. This is most evident in the reception and exhibit areas which features a custom ceiling with varying LED lights to simulate the night sky and a curved video wall integrated with the demonstration area and V/R system.