University Research Park (URP) recently partnered with Valerio Dewalt Train (VDT) to produce a master plan meant to enliven and densify the office park’s existing facilities. A master plan was created with the intention of carving a new road from a bordering main artery street and adding below-grade parking to leave the ground level open for public space and amenities accessible by foot.
The master plan caught the eye of Exact Sciences, a molecular diagnostics company, which led to the company committing to working with URP and VDT to design an office building to serve as its headquarters. The new facility would bring together their executive and R&D teams into a single, collaborative, amenity-rich space.
The 135,000-sf building’s final design, which was shaped by biophilic design principles, comprises two interconnected volumes that sit on the northeast corner of the newly platted site, directly linking to the R&D labs on the south-eastern side. The curving enclosure of the primary volume is composed of bands of glass, ceramic print panels, and a zinc cladding that will patina over time. The exposed concrete structure lifts the organically shaped upper floors to give the appearance that the building is floating over the ground plane and exposing the wooden finish of its underbelly.
A double-height lobby is inset underneath while the second floor connects to the southern volume with a large cafeteria space expressed on the exterior with a rectilinear balcony that meets the street. The adjacent glass and steel volume, dubbed “the link,” connects to the labs with a stair and backlit panels that glow during evening hours.
Levels three through five feature desks, meeting rooms, and office amenities. Vertical circulation and services are tucked into the building’s core, which pushes the desk areas to the periphery to provide employees with unobstructed access to natural light and exterior views via floor-to-ceiling glazing. Additionally, three levels of parking are tucked beneath the ground plane.
Along with VDT, the build team also included Potter Lawson (interior designer), Findorff (general contractor), Smith Group (civil engineer), Thornton Tomassetti (structural engineer), and AEI (MEP and fire protection).
Related Stories
| Aug 12, 2016
OFFICE GIANTS: Technology is giving office workers the chance to play musical chairs
Technology is redefining how offices function and is particularly salient in the growing trend of "hoteling" and "hot seating" or "free addressing."
| Aug 12, 2016
Top 70 Office Engineering Firms
Jacobs, AECOM, and Thornton Tomasetti top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest office sector engineering and E/A firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 12, 2016
Top 100 Office Construction Firms
Turner Construction Co., Structure Tone, and Gilbane Building Co. top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest office sector construction and construction management firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 12, 2016
Top 100 Office Architecture Firms
Gensler, HOK, and Perkins+Will top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest office sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Office Buildings | Jul 29, 2016
The ROI of company culture: Why companies should look at culture’s impact on profit
Organizations that purposefully craft and develop their culture experience a 14% turnover rate, whereas organizations that ignore their culture experience a 48% turnover rate, writes PDR Senior Consultant Christine Mikhail.
Office Buildings | Jul 13, 2016
Latest Gensler survey links innovation with workplace flexibility
A poll of 4,000-plus U.S. workers finds the most innovative among them spend less time at the office.
Office Buildings | Jul 12, 2016
CF Møller designs LEGO world headquarters complex in Denmark
The 52,000-sm complex will incorporate many familiar motifs from the popular plastic building block toys.
Office Buildings | Jul 11, 2016
CetraRuddy designs office tower for Manhattan’s Meatpacking district
Plans originally called for a hotel, but the architect and developers adapted their design for commercial use.
Market Data | Jul 6, 2016
A thriving economy and influx of businesses spur construction in downtown Seattle
Development investment is twice what it was five years ago.
Contractors | Jul 4, 2016
A new report links infrastructure investment to commercial real estate expansion
Competitiveness and economic development are at stake for cities, says Transwestern.