Vitra Salon Series: Public Works and Design Excellence

Overseeing more than 375 million square feet of federal workspace, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is the government’s landlord and the nation’s largest real estate holder. Through its decades-long Design Excellence Program, which has created buildings and interiors with many of the nation’s best designers, GSA has also earned renown as an ambitious client. This panel convenes several of GSA’s longtime collaborators to discuss the appeal of Design Excellence commissions on the eve of the program’s 30th anniversary. The conversation will also survey the creative challenges that are unique to federal projects like courthouses and land ports of entry—as well as GSA’s increasingly resilient, community-driven criteria of excellence—to inspire young and mid-career design professionals to work in the public realm.

Beverages provided by Le Moné.