PMC Office Expansion
PMC- front

Transforming an existing building into a stylish and stunning headquarters for a growing renewable energy company.

The Challenge:
Performance Mechanical Contractors, a geo-thermal power plant contractor, not only needed a bigger home for their growing company but one that was more professional and productive.

Our Response:
Both in renovation and addition, we strove for a productive design that matched the company's intuitive ideals and that would stand gracefully against the hard Southern California desert conditions.

A southern-facing Corten steel screen helps block sun while tying the old and new building together. Woven waterjet-cut ribs create an interesting shadowplay throughout the seasons. A roof deck, shaded by a trellis and planters, along with a new entry, signage, and windows complete the exterior.

Inside, sustainable wood flooring dramatically wraps up the wall and onto the ceilings, meeting spaces and offices are strategically arranged, and the custom-designed furniture softens and enriches throughout.

Currently in permit review. Construction begins in January 2010.

Westview House
Westview_5

From a blighted lot to a viable entitled marketable project.

The Challenge:
A challenging Oakland hillside lot, blessed with amazing views, sun, and location, was reduced to a neighborhood eyesore when the original developer walked away. A mostly-finished foundation with undocumented and nonconforming changes, a design no longer marketable or viable, and several years of deterioration made the lot a difficult sell.

Our Response:
Our team was entrusted to make this lot viable again. First we documented the existing situation, creating a BIM model of the site and the original proposed design.

We generated a more marketable design that fits the existing site foundation and meet all the local Planning and Zoning specifications. Our special process and tools enabled us to quickly and affordably accomplish these goals.

Working with city officials and neighbors, we generated a design that was exceptionally well-received; easily passed zoning approval and changed this problem lot into a viable opportunity, ready for sale and development.

Our work has directly helped attract more interest in the lot, with several developers now interested.

29th Ave Work / Live Lofts
Street view

Creative, value-focused urban infill with a budget to match today's market.

The Challenge:
In this market, every dollar counts. Our client came to us with an entitled project that had passed zoning, but had been designed with more lush times in mind.

Our Response:
We worked by integrating the needs of owner, engineers, contractors, and construction managers. Holding collaborative meetings and simultaneously working through the live BIM model of the project, we were able to identify issues and solve problems quickly.

We were able to remove the most complex and expensive elements from the building without sacrificing the original design intent. This saved hundreds of thousands of dollars and made the project viable again.

This 14 unit project is currently in working drawings and should break ground soon.

Sunpower Reclaimed Benches

Sunpower handed us a pile of construction waste. We handed them back beautiful benches.

The Challenge:
Construction waste makes up the majority of landfills today. Sunpower showed us a pile of timbers pulled from the 1920's era building and challenged us to make use of it.

Our Response:
Once milled down, the stunning color of the Doug Fir shone through, and the glue-laminated construction gave them the strength to span up to twenty feet, allowing us to make these into beautifully dramatic benches.

Moving a twenty foot bench isn't an easy job. With well managed communication and coordination more than fifteen benches of various lengths and designs were lifted through a small opening and placed elegantly throughout the project in a single afternoon.

The natural linseed oil finish that we applied will provoke these pieces to gently silver in the sun over the next few lifetimes.

From waste to office showpiece via good design and seasoned experience.

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