James V. Forrestal Building, Federal office building in Southwest, United States.
The James V. Forrestal Building is a federal office complex with three interconnected structures in Southwest Washington. The East Building extends across eight floors while the North Building rests on massive concrete columns, creating an open passage beneath it.
The building was constructed between 1965 and 1969 and initially served as a general-purpose federal office facility. In 1977 it became the headquarters of the Department of Energy, a role it maintains today.
The building displays architectural language typical of the 1960s through its raw concrete surfaces and geometric forms. Visitors can experience these brutalist features directly in the striking columns and angular structures visible today.
The building sits along Independence Avenue SW and is well connected by public transit, especially through L'Enfant Plaza below. The main offices occupy the eastern section while the northern columns provide a natural navigation landmark.
The North Building rests on concrete columns approximately 11 meters tall, allowing a continuous passage to the transit access below. This construction was an innovative design choice that guaranteed access to L'Enfant Plaza while the structure towered above.
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