My first thought was Seattle Spheres part-deux-the-sequel-on-steroids!!!!! NoVa 'bout to stand up to DC across the river with its own plethora of dope landmarks.
MY BODY IS READY
Also, a bit of a side topic that I really hope some of you will pick up into a discussion.. is it perhaps time to consider that the Pentagon should be replaced as the US Department of Defense HQ with a new modern facility in a different location? I can't imagine that it isn't fast becoming obsolete with the rapid advances in cyber-warfare as well as new field technologies. It is also in a very vulnerable location, being surrounded by dense urban development, major highways, transit corridors, and a major airport, as well as being sited right on the Potomac and across that river from all the major landmarks (read: targets) of the District. One might even question whether it is wise to have a Metro station providing so direct of access to the complex considering the potential for security breaches or attacks via that system.
Though even so, the reason this initially occurred to me is that, as a structure and a presence, the Pentagon is a blight on the urban landscape, being surrounded by parking lots and an obviously necessary security perimeter. The Helix, a gorgeous new monument to 21st-Century commerce and the coming era of sustainability, will only have between it and the Pentagon several parking lots and the vast I-395 expressway. Additionally, I believe, the neighboring Potomac waterfront and Arlington National Cemetery would be so much better served by a non-federal government neighbor with attractive, urban, and pedestrian-scaled development. This in turn could justify a future initiative to lessen or eradicate the impact of the 395 structure on the surrounding area, something else with numerous benefits.
I suspect that, due to the historic and iconic nature of the Pentagon, it would be conceivable that the building itself be preserved and surrounded on 5 sides by new construction designed to acknowledge it as a centerpiece but invite the newly-urbanized life of Northern Virginia to flow towards and around it. The possibilities for repurposing are endless. A new air & space or warfare museum belonging to the Smithsonian, a companion performing arts center to the Kennedy Center, or a retail/mixed used complex are just a few of the ideas that came to my mind.
It would be wise as well to consider relocating the Deparment of Defense itself to a location which is less central, less exposed and less known to outsiders for protection from future means of attack from as yet undeveloped technologies, all the while removing the inherent risk of the department's presence within a dense urban center teeming with civilian residents and passersby. Consider a building that is a beacon of sustainability, perhaps involving earthworks, as a semi-underground complex might provide more security and cost less to heat and cool. Why not make it have six sides and call it the Hexagon?
Also if a thread exists for this subject already or someone wants to make one I would welcome moving the discussion there. Cheers