Setting a New Standard for Mission-Critical Design in Ashburn
At the western gateway to Ashburn’s “Data Center Alley,” a highly visible intersection once marked by a vacant warehouse is now the site of a bold new investment in digital infrastructure. The Red Rum Data Center represents GI Partners’ first ground-up development in this market and sets the standard for the company’s future facilities. The goals were ambitious. GI Partners wanted a building that could deliver at least 24 megawatts of IT capacity, meet a targeted PUE of 1.3 or less, and achieve LEED certification. Just as critical, the building needed to present a polished, high-end image at a prominent Ashburn intersection. As a first ground-up facility, the project also required the creation of a master basis of design—a framework that would not only guide this project but could serve as the foundation for future GI Partners data centers.
HED began with a feasibility study, testing how much capacity the compact 15-acre brownfield site could support. From there, the team developed a master plan and design standards that aligned architectural, electrical, and mechanical systems into one cohesive framework. Working closely with GI Partners and World Wide Mission Critical, HED defined the critical cooling and power strategies that would give the building both resilience and flexibility.
The site’s constraints demanded efficiency at every level. With limited area for mechanical and electrical equipment, the design employed stacked generators to minimize the equipment yard and free space for data halls. Highly efficient air-cooled chillers were selected to reduce energy use, directly supporting GI Partners’ ESG commitments. Two large data halls, one per floor, each provide 12 megawatts of capacity and are designed without raised floors, accommodating both colocation and hyperscale users with generous ceiling heights and structural load capacity.
Equally important was the building’s presence. GI Partners and the community of Ashburn expected more than a utilitarian box. The design team oriented the main entrance and office components toward the intersection, cladding them in glass and metal to create an elegant, professional face. Mechanical systems were fully screened behind a cohesive façade, allowing the building’s high-performance core to be matched by a refined civic presence.
The result is a flexible, efficient, and striking study that balances operational rigor with architectural quality. Red Rum Data Center embodies GI Partners’ values of excellence, innovation, and community responsibility, establishing a confident model for future developments. More than a facility for servers, it is a new landmark for Ashburn’s digital corridor and a signal of where the data center industry is headed.