An administrative office that reflects the clean and contemporary nature of the Glenstone Museum in Potomac, the interior aesthetic of the space achieves a balance between people, architecture, landscape, and art.

Stantec has created the design for the administrative offices for the Glenstone Foundation, a museum located in Potomac, Maryland.

When considering the design of offices for the Glenstone Museum, the design team was keenly aware of the client’s desire to create an interior space that achieves balance between people, architecture, landscape, and art. Working closely with Mitchell and Emily Rales, museum founders, and lead architect Thomas Phifer, the team’s design is a continuation of the Museum’s rational aesthetic approach, using only those materials already expressed in the Museum’s architectural palette; wood, glass, stainless steel, and concrete. The resulting space is an open, light filled, serene work environment that appears to be carved out of the Museum concrete block. Two large glass walls frame the space ‒ one external exposing the user to the landscape and sculpture garden, the other internal spanning the length of the space and delineating the private spaces, such as offices, library, and docent’s lounge. The careful orchestration of the components, from materials to systems, furniture to art, is meant to produce a space where, in the words of the founders, “all disciplines are understood as interrelated.” At Glenstone, design expression recedes to support the contemplation of art, and in this case, the people that inhabit the space.

Designer: Stantec

Museum Design: Thomas Phifer and Partners

Contractor: HITT Contracting

Photography: Ron Blunt

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