The Capitol Campus of Tomorrow
Seven solutions for an expanded House of Representatives
When the American Academy of Arts and Sciences launched the bipartisan Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship in 2020, they recommended 31 ideas for strengthening American democracy—expanding the House of Representatives was the first recommendation. Arguments in favor of increasing the number of House members include:
- Improving the constituent to representative ratio—how many citizens each House member represents (which is currently around 760,000 to 1);
- Bringing representatives closer to their constituents to better understand their needs and interests; and
- Addressing the numerical disparity in population per congressional seat across states, which would more closely equalize population across districts and make the electoral college operate in a fairer manner.
While we do not take a position on the wisdom of increasing the size of the House of Representatives, the idea should be taken seriously and incorporated into modernization efforts to ensure that they will meet the needs of future Congresses.
If Congress were to add an additional 150 members to the House of Representatives beginning with the 2032 elections, where would they all sit? If Congress were to adopt modernization efforts consistent with a possible future increase in membership, what should it do?
To answer these questions, we partnered with Firsthand, a team of designers and social scientists who specialize in identifying novel solutions to complex challenges, and architect Alexandre Khoury. We engaged a variety of experts and stakeholders on the Hill to explore how the Capitol Campus needs to be updated, both for the 21st century and more Representatives, focusing on seven solutions.
Seven solutions for an expanded House of Representatives
1
Constructing a new House Office Building
The Problem
Lack of overall space
On the Hill, space is scarce and is largely controlled by the party in power. For example, the majority of member staff struggle to find space to take calls, host meetings, or hold private conversations. Anyone fortunate enough to have private space frequently fields calls from those in need of an empty room.
“I bought myself construction headphones to deal with cubicle noise on the days on I’m on the Hill.”
The Solution
We begin with the most critical recommendation: the construction of a new upper-campus House Office Building. An increase in membership and staff will mean an increase in offices, and constructing a new building full of offices can provide a straightforward solution, while providing greater flexibility for the future and setting a new standard for modern Capitol Campus workspaces.
A new House Office Building could incorporate both traditional and modern elements, providing a familiar and also futuristic working space. The artistic renderings show a traditional exterior with a courtyard, similar to other House Office Buildings, but with the addition of a striking tower, adding several stories of office space with beautiful views of the campus (but still well below the height of the Capitol).
The seven floor building would offer ample space for offices and continue to respect existing standards for building heights in Washington, DC.
The seven floor building would offer ample space for offices and continue to respect existing standards for building heights in Washington, DC.
The first three floors would be level with its neighboring House Office Buildings, while the tower would be tall enough to offer beautiful views, while still being below the Capitol Dome.
A central staircase, similar to the one found in the Hart Senate Office Building, would connect all seven stories, while offering views of the courtyard and surrounding Capitol area.
Because the tower extends above the rest of the building, it provides an opportunity to use the rooftop as an additional green space.
The inner courtyard could connect directly to the D.C. Metro system, easing accessibility both to and from the new building.
Where will the new building be located?
Today, the House of Representatives and its staff operate out of three upper campus buildings and two lower campus buildings.
The upper campus buildings are:
- Cannon Building, built in 1908
- Longworth Building, built in 1933
- Rayburn Building, built in 1965
The upper campus House Office Buildings serve as the core business units for over six thousand workers. These buildings consist of a mix of member-assigned office suites, committee hearing rooms, staff offices, cafeterias, cafes, and mixed-use rooms that can be reserved for events, briefings, or receptions.
The lower campus buildings are:
- Ford Building, built in 1939, became a House office building in 1975
- O’Neill Building, built in 1963, became a House office building in 2017
The lower campus House Office Buildings do not include any members’ offices, but do include committee spaces and offices for staff. Their separation from the upper campus limits their usability and isolates those who work in them from broader congressional work.
Fortunately, there already exists an ideal location for a new upper-campus House Office Building: Lot 1, directly south of the Cannon House Office Building.
Prior to 2002, this lot actually held a House Office Building: The original O’Neill Building. It was a hotel that Congress acquired in 1957, and which continued to operate as a hotel (“The Congressional Hotel”), but also housed office space for Representatives. It was deemed structurally unsound in 2002 and demolished.
Today, Lot 1 is just one of several parking lots in the area.
A new House Office Building could incorporate both traditional and modern elements, providing a familiar and also state-of-the-art working space. This design would provide office suites for up to 200 additional members, as well as additional committee and staff offices.
The new building could include modern approaches to collaborative, private working spaces; mixed-use cafeteria and working spaces; green spaces for working, press conferences, and visitors; better safety and security; and improved accessibility and energy efficiency.
The glass walls and large windows, reminiscent of the Hart Senate Office Building, make excellent use of natural light and surrounding views.
The use of glass would also need to be coupled with security and privacy features; function comes first. For example, glass barriers between hallways and workspaces could be both frosted and bulletproof.
The Problem
A limited House floor
The House floor can fit the full membership today, but is insufficiently flexible to allow for growth without renovations.
The Solution
Our recommended new layout involves adding a new elevated section. In practice, such a separation would only be used during times when nearly every Representative needs to be on the floor at once, a relatively rare occurrence. However, for those occasions, this would allow space for a significantly expanded House.
Pairing the expanded floor plan with new technology—like screens with voting charts and a speaker camera—will help make the new layout more workable for the larger number of members and staff.
The Problem
Underutilization of existing space
The Spirit of Justice Park and the Sharon Armesto Memorial Park are well-maintained spaces with trees and fountains, but both fail to be functional spaces because they lack effective protection from the elements. For much of the year, they are too hot or too cold, and during the short periods of temperate climate, they may be unusable due to rain.
The Solution
There is already a substantial amount of space that is underutilized across the Capitol Campus, particularly in courtyards and other green spaces.
Just south of the HOBs are two large publicly accessible parks: The Spirit of Justice Park (south of Rayburn HOB) and the Sharon Armesto Memorial Park (south of Longworth HOB). These are well-maintained spaces—with trees and fountains—but both fail to be functional spaces because they lack effective protection from the elements. For much of the year, they are too hot or too cold, and during the short periods of temperate climate, they may be unusable due to rain.
Added seating and shade would make the parks an attractive location for breaks for staff and visitors alike.
Shaded structures would facilitate multiple uses.
Renovating green spaces would not create any new office suites, and they would be outside of security, but it could free up space within office suites by providing new places to work, take phone calls, or even hold meetings.
The current Rayburn Courtyard is accessible and well maintained, but it is still underutilized due to weather for most of the year.
Adding climate control to underutilized courtyards can relieve overcrowding elsewhere.
The Problem
Lack of functional work space
Lack of space in a Representative’s suite can mean meetings with constituents are taken in the hallway; interns are pushed into corners next to refrigerators or in supply closets (which are sometimes on separate floors from the office itself); chaotic and overcrowded common spaces like cafeterias or eateries; and minimal space for small group gatherings or areas to places to field a private phone call.
“I guarantee if you just had a bank of phone booths, everyone would use them. Just make them more comfortable.”
The Solution
Across the House Office Buildings, there are no locations where individuals can gather for private meetings outside of spaces managed by a Representative's personal office, a committee, or party leadership—all of which require pre-reservation. In recognition of this need, the House Modernization Subcommittee has spearheaded initial efforts to convert unused or minimally-used spaces to accommodate those in need of more private conversations or a quiet place to take a phone call.
In 2024, the Subcommittee announced the creation of bipartisan staff coworking spaces located in the Cannon House Office Building.
In 2024, the Subcommittee announced the creation of bipartisan staff coworking spaces located in the Cannon House Office Building.
More, and better, dedicated coworking spaces, particularly with options for private conversations and phone calls, would go a long way toward improving productivity and efficiency for those working on the Capitol Campus. These spaces could serve as coworking areas and break areas, offering collaborative tables, reservable private rooms, and privacy booths for calls or handling sensitive tasks.
Coworking spaces could include a combination of open areas to eat and socialize, as well as private reservable spaces for calls or meetings.
Modern multi-purpose spaces could be built with accessibility in mind throughout, rather than as an addition or modification.
New multipurpose spaces can be built with accessibility in mind.
The Problem
Isolation of the lower campus
The upper and lower House Office Building campuses are currently disconnected. The tunnel network linking the upper campus with the Capitol cannot extend to the lower campus due to an underground highway, while above ground six lanes of Washington Avenue traffic divide the campuses. As new House entities, temporary committees, and building renovations have pushed more staff to the lower campus, occupancy and resources there—like the House Childcare Center and secure spaces—are growing. Seamless, secure access between campuses has become an increasingly urgent issue.
“You’re often running from one corner of the campus. It can take a while.”
The Solution
A dedicated pathway would create seamless connectivity, making the lower campus a fully integrated part of the overall workspace. Equipped with a pedestrian walkway and bike lane, it could support various modes of transportation between campuses, reduce travel time, and improve accessibility for those with mobility challenges navigating the House Office Buildings.
The pathway could improve connectivity for lower campus staff while also serving as an attraction for visitors.
In connecting the upper and lower campuses, the pathway could also improve access to the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial between them.
Coverage and seating would make the pathway a useful place to meet and socialize.
The Problem
Inflexible office spaces
The three-room office suites used by Representatives and their staff are limiting and inflexible, often resulting in overcrowding and a lack of privacy for conducting sensitive meetings.
The Solution
Today’s member suites consist of three rooms: the member’s office on the right, a central entry with a receptionist and Chief of Staff’s office, and the “leg shop” on the left, which seats up to 8 staff members, including the legislative director, legislative assistants, press secretary, communications director, and interns. These rooms are often overcrowded, limiting staff’s ability to work effectively and meet with visitors.
The three room structure cannot be entirely jettisoned, but reasonable changes could make the spaces more functional.
Reorienting a member's desk could make room for the couch, as well as an additional space for a meeting table that could be retracted when not in use.
The use of retractable screens in the leg shop room could allow a six-person table to double as either a conference table or offices for staff and interns.
The Problem
Difficulty navigating the Capitol
The three main House Office Buildings feature similar corridors, complex pathways, and limited signage, making it easy for constituents, visitors, or new staff to get lost—a problem that’s not only frustrating but could be dangerous during an evacuation or emergency
Office corridors often look similar to each other and lack clear signage for how to get to an office, food court, or other room, or even how to exit the building.
Office corridors often look similar to each other and lack clear signage for how to get to an office, food court, or other room, or even how to exit the building.
The Solution
Modern technology makes it possible to project maps onto walls and additional signage onto floors. These electronic signage systems offer the advantage of communicating more information, such as event schedules, and can even incorporate interactive elements. They can also change form in case of emergencies in order to direct people to the nearest exits.
Modern technology makes it possible to project maps onto walls and additional signage onto floors. These electronic signage systems offer the advantage of communicating more information—such as event schedules—and can even incorporate interactive elements.
Critically, these signage systems can also change form in case of emergencies in order to direct people to the nearest exit.
Advocates for expanding the House of Representatives have typically glossed over the issue of physical space—quite literally, where will new members sit? This disconnect obscures the significant overlap between the potential benefits of adding Representatives to the House and the current need to modernize the Capitol Campus.
This report, in answering the question of how one could physically fit more Representatives into the Capitol Campus, concludes that the same changes needed to expand the House are those that can modernize the Congress to meet the demands of today. That overlap reveals potential efficiencies that should be more broadly explored.
Although this report does not opine on the decision to expand the House or the ideal approach to Capitol Campus modernization, we hope this analysis and these architectural renderings will help inform those who are considering it and expand the boundaries on what is possible.
Photo credits from top: All renderings created by Firsthand; Hotel Congressional Postcard, Hannau-Robinson Color Productions, Inc., ca. 1960, Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives; Drew Penrose/Protect Democracy (Lot 1); Drew Penrose/Protect Democracy (co-working space).
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