Until July 2004, 200 East Brady, a 40,000-sf, 1920s-era warehouse, had been an abandoned eyesore in Tulsa, Okla.'s Brady district. The building, which was once home to a grocery supplier, then a steel casting company, and finally a casket storage facility, was purchased by Tom Wallace, president and founder of Wallace Engineering, to be his firm's new headquarters. Wallace's firm did the structural engineering, working with Tulsa-based Selser Schaefer Architects to bring the building back to life on a $3.6 million budget.
Though Tom Wallace had grand plans for the 75-year-old building, the west exterior wall was crumbling away, the first floor slab was cracked, and the roof, windows, and entries were in dire need of attention. Luckily, the structural frame was stable, which made it possible to preserve as much of the original warehouse character as possible, including three concrete and brick exterior walls, complete with faded painted signs. The original steel sash windows were repaired and fitted with double-paned, low-e glass. The damaged west wall was removed and replaced with a steel-framed curtain wall façade, providing a new entry for the building and allowing for natural light. The roof was not only repaired and insulated with a protected membrane system, but 20,000 sf was set aside for a possible roof garden. “To not alter the building drastically was a nice touch,” says Reconstruction Awards judge K. Nam Shiu, P.E., S.E., of Walker Restoration Consultants, Elgin, Ill.
The interior of the building maintains the industrial atmosphere that the exterior suggests, while also providing a bright and modern workspace for the firm's employees. To expand on the natural light that the new west wall façade introduced, old interior partitions were replaced with glass ones and all exposed concrete was painted white. The floor plan consists of open studios, principals' offices on two sides, utility/core space, and a storage unit.
This renovation is the first of its kind in the Brady district, and Wallace Engineering hopes that it will inspire others to rebuild the neighborhood.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jun 25, 2020
New HQ for Chinese tech supplier will feature gardens on every floor
NBBJ’s spiral design maximizes worker exposure to the green spaces.
Coronavirus | Jun 12, 2020
BD+C launches 'The Weekly,' a streaming program for the design and construction industry
The first episode, now available on demand, features experts from Robins & Morton, Gensler, and FMI on the current state of the AEC market.
Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2020
Luxembourg office complex breaks ground in Belval
Foster + Partners designed the building.
Office Buildings | May 27, 2020
512 West 22nd Street: Biophilic design on the High Line
COOKFOX Architects designed the project.
Coronavirus | May 18, 2020
Infection control in office buildings: Preparing for re-occupancy amid the coronavirus
Making workplaces safer will require behavioral resolve nudged by design.
Office Buildings | May 15, 2020
KPF designs three-building San Jose office campus
The project will be adjacent to Google's planned eight million square foot transit village and Diridon Station.
Office Buildings | May 8, 2020
The pillars of work
The workplace will most certainly look different in the future, but how different it looks will be unique to every organization. There (still) is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Office Buildings | Mar 24, 2020
Morphosis designs lululemon’s new global headquarters
The HQ’s design is meant to serve as an extension of lululemon’s core values.
Office Buildings | Mar 16, 2020
Investments in ‘human experiences’ are paying off for employers
A recent survey conducted by JLL and Harvard Business Review found that more companies are giving their employees greater say in changing their work environments.
Coronavirus | Mar 15, 2020
Designing office building lobbies to respond to the coronavirus
Touch-free design solutions and air purifiers can enhance workplace wellness.
