The Great Outdoors 2.0
When you typically hear this expression, your mind may immediately pan to a sunrise image over a hillside, a group of friends hiking, or some sort of sitting on a dock rope swinging into a nameless lake. All of which are beautiful and lovely, none of which have broadband wifi. Which brings up a good question ... “What would it be like to enjoy the outdoors and the creature comforts of the city hustle at the same time?”
For me, an expert multitasker who always prefers to achieve multiple outcomes by one singular action, especially when that action speaks to my multiple personas within me: nature lover, entrepreneur, internet junkie, breather of fresh air, you get the gist. In fact, prior to the pandemic, I had mastered the WFP/WFB philosophy: Work From Pool, Work From Beach. Prior to this wack-a-doo year, I was livin la vida loca between DC and Miami, where WFP is a legit all year thing! Being as it’s still 2020 and my jet-set lifestyle just isn’t in the cards, I sincerely miss getting my shit expertly done outside of the confines of any human scale box (not my thing, tbh).
ACTUAL WORK FROM POOL CONTENT
the standard, miami fl.
Flash forward to early-autumn 2020 (yes still 2020!) and observing many public works and public centric projects continue to evolve and improve throughout the DMV, I find myself cruising the streets of North Arlington (I lived almost all of my 20’s in Rosslyn/Courthouse and still to this day go to the Exxon on Rhodes street as they have a reliable touchless car wash). One very palpable element of Arlington VA life that I admire, still follow and look up to as a model for creating urban/urban-like environments centered fully around the human scale and environmental impact. Arlington seemingly cares to innovate constantly, which is apparent in its urbanization renaissance spawned by the introduction of Metrorail in the late 1970s (Google: smart growth). For reference, my interest in urban planning is so strong, some of my most noteworthy professional accomplishments are focused on cultural engineering and neighborhood design (existing and future) on both coasts (DC, MIA, SF, PDX)!
As a designer of all things, I take great interest in purposefully crafting each detail either minute or grand. Thinking in multiple dimensions, on behalf of infinite potential perspectives, and solving nonexistent potential problems is exactly how a design engineer’s mind thinks. This is hyper apparent when observing how Rosslyn (downtown Arlington as many call it) creates and defines space. It’s not just their fleet of hybrid taxi cabs which was a groundbreaking initiative a decade ago, or the introduction of solar compacting waste and recycling receptacles, nor the Green Building Council LEED certification of near every large development, but it’s also the reinvention, reuse, and repurpose (up-cycle) of community space, community experience, and community consideration.
ROSSLYN, VA AS SEEN FROM THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
If you have been to Rosslyn, you may be familiar with a very brutalist meets mid-twentieth century slab of earth meets concrete surrounded by highway lanes and connected by sky bridges (this is probably the most 20th-century thing I have ever described) called “Gateway Park.” This unique landscape is clearly intended to make the most use of seemingly unusable real estate in a vehicular centric design that no longer is relevant to the human scale. It is oddly shaped, awkward to get to, and offers a rare field of urban silence with historic and futuristic views which really is the tip of Northern Virginia kissing Georgetown, DC. I think the name gateway makes more sense considering its hyper-specific location between the two municipalities, histories, and interpretations.
A designer mind sees enormous usable potential in what is seemingly wasted urban space and Rosslyn VA has also clearly thought of this too, “how to optimally use Gateway Park today, tomorrow, and to come?”
Well, on my journey to the Exxon on Rhodes carwash, I discovered new art, colors, landscape elements, and attention centered by the public works improvements to the pedestrian and vehicular experience at Gateway Park. It was striking enough to catch my fancy, pull over, and explore.
MEET ROSSLYN O2 ...
photo credit dan swartz
The O2 Outdoor Office concept was designed by Rosslyn BID, The Brand Guild, and Design Foundry. The brutalist style of the park was transformed with Rosslyn’s brand colors, as well as “biophilic” design, like a green wall, to capture current trends of incorporating nature into the office environment. The result is a space that echoes Rosslyn BID branding as well as provides a welcoming space for workers.
And what an awesome way to pivot an outdoor space when people are missing the togetherness of co-work and office culture (GUILTY!), but want to respect the safety of others. I absolutely love the idea of taking this multi-use park (sometimes its an outdoor theater, sometimes it’s a festival, sometimes it’s a market, etc.) and transforming it with potent, and I mean POTENT wifi, outdoor workspaces, on-demand coffee for the caffeine-infused entrepreneurs (DOUBLE GUILTY!), and so many other conveniences us rather “hoity-toity” Washingtonians have become accustomed to in our everyday dynamics (pandemic or not). I am most appreciative that Rosslyn (downtown Arlington) is continuing to show innovation, consideration, and forward-thinking even during a time of at-hominess, separation, and uncertainty. The workspaces are legitimately nice (WeWork-like), the views are comparable to being in a sky-rise tower … subtract the walls, ceiling, and elevator and add expanse, historic and future landscapes, blanket throws if needed, the list goes on.
The element that sealed the deal for my recommendation of experience #ROSSLYNO2 after I had stumbled upon it was when Rosslyn BID personally reached out to me to join them for a visit, test out the space I had already investigated, and gave me a very VIP detailed recount of where this idea came from, how much hard work the teams went in to bring this to the DMV, and where this pivot situates in Rosslyn’s grand plan to redefine the urban landscape for the 21st century and beyond.
If you are in the DMV (District | Maryland | Virginia) and are itching to change your scenery (working from home can get old, fast) then I highly encourage you to check out the Outdoor Office concept Rosslyn has put together for everyone to utilize and enjoy. Oh, did I mention the use of this space is 100% FREE?!
Reserve your spot today, they are limited and fill up fast, by clicking here.
Thank you, Rosslyn for the very personal invitation to experience this awesome co-work space perfectly curated for the outdoor-minded urban professional and the badass photos you’ll see below and on Instagram by Sam Kittner.
