Strange Bedfellows: The Espionage Casino at the FBI HQ, Washington DC.
Autumn 2025
Instructor: Liz Diller
Site: FBI Headquarters, Washington DC.
In this project, a ‘sick’ institution (the FBI) is financially saved by the introduction of a ‘healthy’ institution (a casino). In order to keep the FBI in their current HQ , the building needs to become more efficient. At current, the core of the largest floorplate repeated across 5 floors has a huge dead space, designed in 1967 for state-of-the-art filing which has since become obsolete. This space has little natural daylight and the FBI struggles to find use for it. By inserting a Casino, this space can become highly profitable.
Casinos thrive when themed, so at the Espionage Casino, glimpses and interfaces between FBI office and Casino floor provide the architectural stimulation which propels the idea. The public will excitedly flood this otherwise impenetrable fortress. But the FBI benefit too. In the face of constant criticism and ridicule in the media, by letting the public in (in this highly controlled way) the FBI can rebuild their public image: as a changing institution becoming more honest, and most importantly, more efficient.
Both in the Casino and the FBI, people gather round tables to focus, they are both individuals with personal goals as well as members of a functioning group completing a task. This shared surface emphasizes this mirroring, allowing the casino table to continue into an FBI boardroom, to a standing desk and back to a casino table.
A reclining slot machine system means private spaces are created for the gambler, as well as a reclined position making people feel relaxed.
Though the Casino guest and FBI enter the elevator separately, they enter the same carriage, split in half. The Casino-side has a few openings, that when overlapping with an opening in the elevator shaft, allow a glimpse into the FBI’s office space. The FBI side is all windows, allowing the FBI to see the casino completely, and the FBI’s circulation of the building becomes periphery entertainment to those in the casino.
The restrooms are interlocked cubicles which lead to separate sinks for the respective FBI/Casino. This means the FBI and casino guests can see each other’s ankles, and hear each other, even nearly hold hands as they reach for the toilet roll at the same time, while never being face-to-face.
The slot machine and office desk are not so different. Both entice their user to sit for extended periods and stare at a screen. The slot machine has a window up into the FBI office to see the shuffling feet of the FBI worker under their desk.
Strange Bedfellows: The Espionage Casino at the FBI HQ, Washington DC.
Autumn 2025
Instructor: Liz Diller
Site: FBI Headquarters, Washington DC.
In this project, a ‘sick’ institution (the FBI) is financially saved by the introduction of a ‘healthy’ institution (a casino). In order to keep the FBI in their current HQ , the building needs to become more efficient. At current, the core of the largest floorplate repeated across 5 floors has a huge dead space, designed in 1967 for state-of-the-art filing which has since become obsolete. This space has little natural daylight and the FBI struggles to find use for it. By inserting a Casino, this space can become highly profitable.
Casinos thrive when themed, so at the Espionage Casino, glimpses and interfaces between FBI office and Casino floor provide the architectural stimulation which propels the idea. The public will excitedly flood this otherwise impenetrable fortress. But the FBI benefit too. In the face of constant criticism and ridicule in the media, by letting the public in (in this highly controlled way) the FBI can rebuild their public image: as a changing institution becoming more honest, and most importantly, more efficient.
Both in the Casino and the FBI, people gather round tables to focus, they are both individuals with personal goals as well as members of a functioning group completing a task. This shared surface emphasizes this mirroring, allowing the casino table to continue into an FBI boardroom, to a standing desk and back to a casino table.
A reclining slot machine system means private spaces are created for the gambler, as well as a reclined position making people feel relaxed.
Though the Casino guest and FBI enter the elevator separately, they enter the same carriage, split in half. The Casino-side has a few openings, that when overlapping with an opening in the elevator shaft, allow a glimpse into the FBI’s office space. The FBI side is all windows, allowing the FBI to see the casino completely, and the FBI’s circulation of the building becomes periphery entertainment to those in the casino.
The restrooms are interlocked cubicles which lead to separate sinks for the respective FBI/Casino. This means the FBI and casino guests can see each other’s ankles, and hear each other, even nearly hold hands as they reach for the toilet roll at the same time, while never being face-to-face.
The slot machine and office desk are not so different. Both entice their user to sit for extended periods and stare at a screen. The slot machine has a window up into the FBI office to see the shuffling feet of the FBI worker under their desk.
