The “front door” to a major retail and transit hub, the project site was challenged by heavy automobile traffic and an unfriendly pedestrian environment. As part of an enhancement program for the Pentagon City Metro Station, KGP Design Studio developed a series of interventions—including escalator and stair canopies, elevators, bus mini-terminals, and a vendors’ pavilion—to improve access, visibility, and overall user experience. This project received the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Award for Design Excellence (2006), recognizing its contribution to transforming a transit-oriented public realm.
The metro canopies act as visual anchors that help organize and urbanize the expansive intersection. At primary entries, steel tapered masts support ribbed glass canopies and integrated banner systems. Complementary, more modest structures provide shelter for secondary stairs and vendor areas. The bus mini-terminals prioritize openness through cantilevered glass canopies, while a continuous granite base with integrated seating supports an independent structural glass windscreen.