How Dancker is helping power D.C.’s next era of sports, entertainment, and community spaces

For 250 years, revolution has been a mainstay in the nation’s capital. Now, though, the city seems to be more focused on evolution.

Indeed, Washington, D.C. is striving to update its branding, visibility, and appeal to broaden its connection to people around the country — and the world. And D.C.’s leadership has begun by focusing on the city’s core, as evidenced in a white paper on the Downtown Public Realm Plan.

Of course, the plan can’t come together without the unity between and commitment of countless players. These include plenty of high-vis members, including influential business leaders. Yet some of the most vital players are operating behind the scenes, including Dancker. To be sure, the legacy interior design and installation leader might not be grabbing headlines, but its contribution to the D.C. rebirth serves a critical function.

Reviving a city by reviving a core destination space

Dancker’s chapter in the story of the billion-dollar D.C. renaissance begins at the Capital One Arena. Like so many other sports venues, Capital One Arena has become a destination draw for residents and tourists. Yet it’s also become outmoded; hence, it’s undergoing major changes to maintain its relevance and dominance.

Here’s the problem: Plenty of large-scale venues (including Capital One Arena) weren’t built for the scalability and adaptability necessary to be fully functional for fans, media, executives, and event and community partners. 

Capital One Arena isn’t the first sports and entertainment venue to take bold steps to become more future-proof. Similar venue facelifts are in the works in Philadelphia and Chicago. And the trend makes sense, given that downtown-based arenas now function as urban economic engines. Where else can you pack tens of thousands of people into a single space to cheer on their favorite teams, enjoy a concert, or listen to an influential speaker? But the space has to be designed for the here and now, as well as the “down the road”; that’s where a company like Dancker shines.

Turning Capital One Arena into an integrated space

Dancker’s tech-forward, next-gen design process is well-suited for the Capital One Arena. project. Founded nearly 200 years ago, the company has built its reputation as being able to design for tomorrow, making it a suitable collaborator for the D.C. improvement Plan.

On a macro level, the company’s 70-person cross-divisional team has contributed to the Capital One Arena remake through months of coordinated design. In addition to choosing thousands of products and envisioning futuristic hospitality environments, the company has invested in the refreshed Dancker Club exclusive space as a signature element within the overall Capital One Arena revamp.

The vice president of marketing, Lurdes Borges, says, “Large-scale venues like Capital One Arena are no longer just places people pass through to watch a game or concert. They’re destinations that need to work on multiple levels at once to deliver great fan experiences. Our role was to collaborate with our client and their design partner to think holistically about how furniture, technology, and logistics come together to support the design intent and the fan-experience while considering flexibility and long-term relevance. Every decision was made with both today’s demands and tomorrow’s possibilities in mind.”

Integrative elements designed for high engagement

Dancker’s distinctive approach to community space design is evident in three specific ways in the Capital One Arena transformation.

The first is the furniture chosen for each space. From the premium clubs and lounges to the guest seating, the company has staged areas that feel intuitive and user-friendly. It’s a challenging task at scale, and one that shows off its teams’ ability to create multiple functional areas, all with aesthetic appeal.

Another of the company’s impressive skills is its understanding of how to meet the actual tech needs of a space. Often, tech systems fail in terms of their practicality. Dancker knows how to use tech integrations to shape people’s experiences and boost engagement.

Last up is the company’s logistics management skills. At a time of increasing supply chain management complexity, the interior design company’s team has shown great acumen at coordinating all the behind-the-scenes asset management movement necessary to bring a past-paced venue improvement project to fruition.

Remaking urban destinations

Large cities are at an important crossroads. Today, many people are reluctant to visit urban centers unless they’re given a reason. Initiatives like the Capital One Arena center update offer up a good reason to make a trip into a metropolitan area like D.C. 

At the end of the day, the cities that learn from the past so they can push ahead will attract more visitors. In recent years, the tourism industry of Washington, D.C. hasn’t been on a strong growth track. However, by investing in the downtown area, officials may be able to revive tourism momentum. 

Capital One Arena and Dancker are elevating the sport’s viewing experience. At the same time, they’re setting a new standard for what urban revitalization can look like.