Light-Filled Collaborative Offices

1940 Duke Offices

Architect: MGMA
Client: 1940 Duke
Vertical: Workplace
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Product: Ekoa in Inspire
Installation: Walls
Scale: 640 SF

Impact

CO2 sequestered

equivalent annual carbon uptake

The design challenge

At 1940 Duke in Alexandria, Virginia, the design team set out to create vibrant, collaborative office interiors that feel warm, modern, and welcoming. The client wanted shared spaces that supported both focused work and casual interaction, while reinforcing the building’s contemporary character. Key areas—like the conference room, coffee/common area, and elevator surrounds—needed material choices that balanced aesthetic impact with durability for heavy daily use.

Material solution

Ekoa’s refined appearance and functional performance helped solve multiple design goals. In the conference room, its rich, subtle flax grain creates a calm, sophisticated backdrop for meetings. In the coffee and common areas, the surface contributes warmth and visual depth, helping differentiate social zones without overpowering adjacent workspaces. Around elevator banks, the slim profile of Ekoa panels keeps circulation crisp and uncluttered, while providing a tactile, human-centered finish.

Experience in the space

As people move through 1940 Duke, the material’s natural character and color variations add quiet richness to the palette. In bright daylight and layered interior lighting, the surfaces read as warm and approachable, supporting both focused work and casual socializing in equal measure.

Sustainability & healthy interiors

Ekoa’s super-low-VOC, plant-based surface contributes to high indoor air quality—an important consideration in dense office environments. Avoiding off-gassing and chemical additives common to conventional wallcoverings, it supports a healthier workplace while aligning with broader sustainability goals.

Installation & detailing

Careful panel placement and precision detailing allow Ekoa to integrate seamlessly with architectural trim and lighting, creating clean transitions and a cohesive visual flow throughout shared spaces.

Outcome & impact

Intentional material choice and precise detailing combine to make 1940 Duke’s interiors both inviting and resilient, reinforcing the building’s design vision.