State of Delaware Capital Complex Renovations
Chamber Interior Renovations and Complex-Wide Lighting Replacement
30-Day Renovation Cuts Through Red Tape to Restore Glory in Legislative Building
Problem
The State of Delaware wanted to improve the workplace environment for the First State’s legislators and make a good first impression with visitors by restoring the beauty of Legislative Hall chambers.
This project faced challenges such as:
- Aggressive timeline: Design, planning, and construction needed to be completed in a short 30-day period during a legislative recess.
- Keeping space functional: Only one chamber could be taken offline at a time in case legislators needed to convene for an emergency session. This requirement paired with the aggressive timeline required careful planning by StudioJAED architects.
- Finalizing treatments with committee votes: Each final interior design finishing and treatment was approved by a committee of stakeholders from the State of Delaware.
Solution
StudioJAED met this project’s challenges in several ways:
- In-house expertise and integrated design. Studio JAED’s multi-disciplined expertise meant that engineering requirements for lighting and architectural finishes for the interior design could be made simultaneously. This helped move the project forward at an accelerated rate.
- Frequent meetings with stakeholders at each stage of the design process helped keep each meeting productive. StudioJAED even brought in 5-6 real LED lighting fixture options for stakeholders. Seeing the finishing styles and the light they emitted helped the decision makers move forward with more confidence.
- Coordinating with contractors to efficiently use time. One efficient solution StudioJAED’s engineers implemented was to install scaffolding to complete all lighting installations at 7-8 feet from the ceiling. An elevated workspace meant that work could be completed more quickly.
Both chambers of Delaware’s Legislative Hall now feature:
- Efficient LED lighting
- Fresh paint
- Reupholstered furniture
- Re-varnished wood finishings
- Refinished floors
Impact
StudioJAED’s multi-disciplined expertise and integrated design approach made it possible to complete this renovation on time and on budget.
When Delaware’s State Legislators went to recess, they left a dimly lit space with interior finishings that were showing signs of wear.
A month later, Legislators returned to chambers with tremendously improved working conditions and overall aesthetics. The State of Delaware has a renewed sense of pride in their state capital’s Legislative Hall for government officials and visiting constituents.