Project Description
Board Room, one of DC’s favorite bars, chose CORE to design their second location at 925 North Garfield Street in Arlington, VA.
The project involves the renovation and expansion of a 12,300 SF ground-floor space (9,600 SF inside and 2,700 SF outside). The Board Room VA location includes a brewery and two bars, gaming areas, Ms. Peacock’s Champagne Lounge for bubbly enthusiasts, and the Chairman’s Lounge for private gatherings. CORE gave Board Room a vintage, masculine look, with tongue-in-cheek design features that tie to board game themes. The Chairman’s Lounge design blends the aesthetics of Board Room and the Champagne Lounge as it connects both spaces and can be rented with either venue. Upon entering Board Room, patrons will be drawn to the illuminated back-bar design, which mimics the diamond-shaped icons in the logo, and the game library, displaying games for rent. The existing interior space had a bar near the brewery and a large dining room. CORE added a second bar to serve beer, wine, and cocktails near the main entry. They also subdivided the formerly large, oddly-shaped dining space into various zones – including a game library, intimate game lounge, and a bar dining area – where the seating and ceiling height correspond to each zone’s atmosphere. For example, the lounge furnishings and a lower ceiling lend themselves to more strategy-focused games like chess, while the grand main bar with bar-height seating lends itself to boisterous group gaming. CORE also added another game area with banquettes, a life size scrabble board, three dart lanes, and table shuffleboard.
Photography: Ron Ngiam