The New DISA Complex

Construction is underway on DISA's new complex in Fort Meade, Md. Comprised of seven buildings, the planned facility will be 1.1 million square feet — approximately the size of 21 football fields — and will occupy a 95 acre campus.

The structures are tentatively named by the functions they will house: the command building, the operations building, the acquisition building, the common building, the warehouse, the laboratory, and the utility building. All of the buildings will be interconnected by enclosed walkways.

The common building — which will be located at the center of the complex — will house shared facilities, including a training center, fitness center, occupational health and nurse's station, a conference room equipped with video-teleconferencing equipment, and a cafeteria.

Office areas will be designed and furnished to increase workplace collaboration. Cubicles will have low-paneled walls to encourage discussion and information sharing; yet will still provide adequate privacy. Employee workstations will be positioned to allow the employee to face the thoroughfare, rather than having one's back toward approaching co-workers. The work areas will be ergonomically designed and furnished to ensure employee comfort. In addition, each workspace will have an air vent on the floor, allowing employees to adjust the amount of heat or air-conditioning blowing through to their own comfort level.

The building design will also facilitate collaboration by providing a sufficient number of conference rooms and teaming areas. Teaming areas are sections of the office furnished with couches or chairs and tables that provide an area for impromptu meetings and brainstorming sessions, and will help keep the cubicle areas quiet.

External features of the complex include a courtyard and a patio where employees will be able to relax and enjoy lunches, as well as access to nature trails for those who choose to do wellness outdoors.

Ample free parking will be available to those who commute, both in the form of parking lots and a parking deck. In fact, those who carpool, vanpool, or drive low-emissions vehicles will be offered priority parking spots — part of DISA’s “green,” or eco-friendly, initiative.

DISA will pursue LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] Silver Certification — an award given by the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. to recognize sustainable building design and construction — by undertaking other green initiatives while constructing the new complex. These initiatives include: the use of local and recycled building materials during construction, access to natural light by 85% of the workforce, and the implementation of a recycling program once the building is occupied.

The design of new complex has been carefully planned, and as construction progresses, it will evolve into a state-of-the-art facility we will be proud to call our own. To learn more, visit the “New Building” page where you can see a complete list of building features, view artist renderings of the building design, and track the progress of construction via our onsite Web camera.