The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) contracted rand* to provide preconstruction and construction services for their new government affairs space at the historic 101 Constitution Ave just steps away from the Capitol. The unique office environment houses a contemporary design with advocacy and history at the heart of the design. The space acts as a showpiece for the industry with design elements and program highlighting the heritage, craftsmanship, and agricultural foundations of the spirits products.

The heart of workplace features a striking 30-foot bar clad in stone tile, custom metals, and millwork wraps. The full service bar is enveloped by barstools, booths, and lounge seating perfect for internal events or hosting client engagement events that can accommodate up to 200 people. Coordinating installation of the custom millwork piece required extensive coordination from nearly every trade and vendor and demanded precise scheduling with no room for error.

The rest of the program is comprised of a highly custom reception space, conference rooms, open offices, private offices, team rooms, breakout spaces, and a series of branding walls that feature historic artifacts, including illustrations, tools, and even a hand-written letter from George Washington detailing his distillery operation at Mount Vernon. Schedule control was of critical importance to ensure the space was delivered in time for the non-profit’s 50th Anniversary.