SM&W Contribution
Shen Milsom & Wilke (SM&W) is providing acoustical, audiovisual, IT infrastructure, and security services for Georgetown University’s new Public Policy Building. Located at E Street and 2nd Street, this $110 million project will expand the Georgetown Law Center and serve as the centerpiece of a new downtown campus. The 170,000 SF, eleven-story building will include classrooms, academic offices, a 400-seat auditorium, student commons, and dining facilities, bringing McCourt students, faculty, and staff together in one location for the first time since 2013.
The classrooms are equipped for flexible and hybrid learning with interactive displays, cameras, and lecture capture. The penthouse convening space features floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of DC landmarks, requiring precise video and camera system design to enhance both in-person and remote experiences.
The lower-level 400-seat auditorium includes an audiovisual control room for multimedia and secure VIP events, with a focus on excellent acoustics. A new broadcast studio under design will offer TV production capabilities and fiber connectivity with the auditorium, penthouse, and a large classroom for overflow and public broadcasts. The building’s security integrates access control and video surveillance into the campus system.
The atrium and common areas feature a Maya Lin designed lighting and audio installation, with fixtures that adjust color and brightness according to the time of day and weather, complemented by environmental sounds and soothing music from the SM&W designed speaker system.