In response to the client’s desire for anonymity, the exterior presents a quietly ambiguous face to the nearby highway. A thin membrane of weathering corrugated steel wraps the exterior in understated boldness and is raised away from the dark stucco base to express its autonomy from the building. Deep window apertures are punctured through this skin and articulated by steel shadow boxes offset by dark black metal panels.

The main entry is reoriented from the highway to the parking lot facade to underscore the higher degree of privacy the company requires and provide the confidentiality expected by much of their clientele.

An unexpected surprise inside this large office space are two large atrium courtyards that wash the office with daylight and transparency and create a window-lined central conference room between them at the center of the building. The courtyards and a series of skylights define specific functions of the floor plan through natural daylight. Upon entering, raw materials play off finer details and custom fixtures, and the overall industrial aesthetic is warmed by the color of the exposed, sandblasted wood roof structure and new wood floors.

The glass-walled, open-air courtyards and breakout rooms offer layers of transparency to maintain the feel of the large, open plan while their dark metal framing asserts the perimeters of those spaces with a masculine heft. Staff collaborations and productivity are organized in activity hot spots: each project team “bullpen” is delineated by a desk-height, steel clad partition wall with large skylight overhead, each containing team work stations and an acoustically sound, cork-lined “war room” at its heart.

Relaxing, modern seating areas and a well-equipped kitchen provide for more casual meetings and employee amenities, as well as client comfort. A healthy work environment is fostered by operable windows for natural ventilation and lighting, and the interior’s climate is controlled through radiant heating and low velocity fans.

Process