Contract - May 2016 - 24

pHOtO: Meg WAltOn

eDItOrIAl
Editorial

A New Workplace for Cannon Shots
of Truth to Be Deployed

the act of investigative journalism as corrective protector and weapon.
Typewriter keys, in closeup, attain the power of a strike force, each
stroke a cannon shot for truth."
I encourage everyone to watch the film again, or watch it for the first
time if you haven't already seen it. What struck me is this: The work of
journalists, shedding light on truth, is so important, even if the typewriters
and cigarettes are gone from the newsroom and the means of news
dissemination has evolved. And the story has lessons for today, in 2016,
as we are in the midst of an unprecedented presidential election year.
In both the story itself, and the way it was symbolically portrayed
in the film, Woodward and Bernstein remained laser-focused on the
Watergate story, even though it seemed to begin with a burglary that
was local news. Weeks into covering the story, it still was not a big deal
Sometimes, as designers, you really get into one interior project
to the Post editors. A number of other stories were grabbing attention
that you feel strongly connected to, and you truly enjoy the process
in summer 1972, many related to minutiae in the presidential election,
and the end result. In creating a magazine, the making of this issue
Thomas Eagleton's demeanor, George McGovern's floundering
was one of those moments for us.
campaign, and the impending end of the Vietnam War. The world,
I am so pleased with all of the workplace interiors featured
and even the top Post editors, were distracted by multiple stories, small
in this issue, highlighting the range of offices for today's businesses
and large. But Woodward and Bernstein continued on, uncovering
in media, retail, and cybersecurity, with a beautiful cover photograph
revelations, even if some were too opaque for even Post colleagues
by Jasper Sanidad of the Venafi workplace designed by up-and-coming
to understand or care about.
architect Steven Christensen. When you think about our global
Near the end of the film, Bradlee wryly describes to Woodward
economy today, cybersecurity, retail, and media are, indeed, essential
and Bernstein the weight of the implications in what they were reporting:
aspects of our online world.
"Nothing is riding on this... except the First Amendment of the
I am particularly honored and excited, though, to be able
Constitution, freedom of the press, and maybe the future of the country."
to feature the new home for The Washington Post (page 84), which
In our coverage of the Post workplace, I am thrilled to have Tracy
has 10 pages of coverage. As a writer and editor who reads the Post
Grant, the deputy managing editor of the Post, write a first-person
online daily, with a journalist's curiosity for seeing how a truly great
account of the office move (page 92) exclusively for Contract. She
21st-century newsroom works, it was more than just a project story
for me and my team. I hope that you, too, will enjoy learning more about writes: "Journalists are by nature skeptics; some are even cynics. Most
of the time this is a good thing, and it allows us to uncover corruption,
how the Post is implementing its new workplace, skillfully designed by
Gensler, to move forward as a multiplatform, premier news organization. right wrongs, and win Pulitzer Prizes."
The role of the press is vital. Journalism matters, and we see that
What began in 1877 as a local newspaper with an eye on the White
this year in election coverage, no matter if we read the news on paper,
House and Capitol Hill, and which became nationally known with
on a computer screen, or on another device. Cannon shots for truth are
Watergate, is now read internationally online with video and audio
welcome. Enjoy this issue, with our coverage of The Washington Post
augmenting the written word.
office, and I will see you at NeoCon.
In preparation for this issue, of course I had to watch the film
"All the Presidents Men" once again, with much of the film depicting
Sincerely,
the Post's newsroom circa 1972. In the 1976 film, Robert Redford
and Dustin Hoffman portray Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein,
the Post writers who broke the Watergate story under Executive Editor John czarnecki, Assoc. AIA, Hon. IIDA
editor in chief
Ben Bradlee (played by Jason Robards). Based on the book by the
same title by Woodward and Bernstein, the film celebrated its 40th
Visit contractdesign.com/editorial to read all of Editor in Chief
anniversary of release this spring. In a Post article analyzing the film
John Czarnecki's editorials
on April 9, Michael Cavna writes, "'All the President's Men' celebrates

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