ZGF Architects DC Central Kitchen, The Michael R. Klein Center for Jobs & Justice

After operating out of the basement of a homeless shelter for the past three decades, DCCK moved its operations for the first time. The state-of-the-art facility is now a space that produces millions of meals, serves the DC community, and provides culinary job training for the unemployed. The scope of the project included design for commercial kitchens, including five kitchen hoods, a comprehensive air scrubber system, dry & cold storage, prep areas, dish room, volunteer work areas, training rooms, and a retail cafe. The mezzanine level, linked by an interconnecting stair, functions as DCCK’s administrative area, which included design for an elevator lift for ADA access, a conference room, open work areas, private offices, a podcast room, a reception area, a mother’s room, restrooms, and other support areas. Supplemental AC was designed for IT requirements, and bipolar ionization was added to the HVAC system for COVID-19 mitigation. The project achieved FitWel 3-Star certification and employs healthy design, such as natural daylighting, active circulation, and wellness-oriented amenities to bolster occupant wellbeing.

The project received the following awards:

• 2024 AIA DC Design Award in Interior Architecture
• 2024 AIA Northern Virginia Award of Merit