The new Los Angeles headquarters for fast-growing Califia Farms, a brand of dairy alternative products, was designed with the post-Covid hybrid work environment in mind. Located in Maxwell Coffee House, a historic production facility built in 1924 that has become a vibrant mixed-use complex, the office features a café bordered by generous meeting rooms.
The café includes a bar and tasting room, with a sizable screen that displays the company’s digital media work. The two-level café, staffed by a barista, is a central hub for meeting, socializing, and indulging in Califia’s own plant-based milks, creamers, and frozen desserts.
“As soon as you step inside the office, you’re transported to the inviting ambiance of a bustling café,” says Alexis Dennis-Huether, the project's lead designer and Associate Principal with SLAM. “Rather than being greeted by a traditional receptionist, there’s a friendly barista, setting the tone for a unique and memorable experience. This entrance creates an impactful first impression that perfectly captures the brand's bold and playful personality.”
The challenge of accommodating a large team of 200 staff members within a 30,000 sf space inspired design firm SLAM to get creative with multi-purpose, open concept areas, according to a news release. This approach allowed for a stronger emphasis on functionality and flexibility.
Hybrid office design includes tasting room, indoor-outdoor connection
Hybrid office models can lead to worker isolation, but SLAM designed the space to counteract this risk. Large amenity spaces offer flexibility for chance encounters, collaboration, and meetings.
Equipped with kitchen appliances including a black electric cooktop and stainless-steel refrigerator, and the technology of a meeting room, the tasting room serves as a research and development space, where staff create, test, and refine products. It also becomes a relaxed setting for team activities, break-out meetings, and lunch preparation.
![Creating new avenues for in-house operations, the office café is bordered by generous meeting rooms, the café bar and tasting room, and a sizable screen that pilots the company’s digital media. Photo by SLAM.](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Califia%20Farms%20headquaters%20designed%20by%20SLAM%203.jpg)
Throughout the office, 15% of workstations are dedicated to hoteling, all bathed with an abundance of natural light through large windows and skylights. Meeting rooms are equipped with high-quality video-conferencing solutions, allowing for seamless hybrid meetings and teamwork.
One design goal was to create an environment that interfaces with the public space outside. Creating vital indoor-outdoor connections, branding elements and office operations are visible from the street while roll-up garage doors open out to a patio to extend the office atmosphere into the downtown streetscape. Because of its strong street presence, Califia has become a friendly neighborhood fixture, fostering an important sense of community in this evolving area.
The office is adorned with abstract interpretations of the company’s brand speaking to a distinct identity and spirited culture. Califia Farms’ signature amphora-shaped bottle, with its distinctive curves, presides over the café lounge as a tinplated metal silhouette, adding a striking and eye-catching element. The continuous and smooth lines of the bottle are captured in the curvatures of the café bar while a more abstract interpretation of their product design is stamped into the carpet pattern.
Bold brand colors of red and blue are balanced against natural materials. Vermilion red encased banquette niches are recessed into wood-panelled walls, allowing for privacy and comfort. Framed in double pane glass, meeting rooms provide a sense of transparency, and feature small touches that mirror the Califia Farms’ brand, including an outline in a thick red trim that accentuates sharp angles and warm-toned finishes.
![A tinplated metal silhouette of the company’s distinct and award-wining product design presides over the café lounge. Photo by SLAM](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Califia%20Farms%20headquaters%20designed%20by%20SLAM%205.jpg)
![The ebullience of the café bar and lounge beams through double pane glass walls of adjacent meeting rooms. Photo by SLAM](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Califia%20Farms%20headquaters%20designed%20by%20SLAM%208.jpg)
![Award winning branding is integrated into the office design through office room trim and carpet patterns. Photo by SLAM](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Califia%20Farms%20headquaters%20designed%20by%20SLAM1.jpg)
![Food and beverage-inspired amenities like the office café bar and tasting room reflects the brand experience. Photo by SLAM](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Califia%20Farms%20headquaters%20designed%20by%20SLAM%204.jpg)
![Contrasting bold brand colors with natural materials, banquette niches offer comfortable heads-down spaces for staff. Photo by SLAM](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Califia%20Farms%20headquaters%20designed%20by%20SLAM%207.jpg)
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Mar 26, 2021
Finding success for downtown office space after COVID-19
Using the right planning tools can spur new uses for Class B and C commercial real estate.
Office Buildings | Mar 24, 2021
JEA Headquarters tops out in Jacksonville
The building has recently topped out.
Energy Efficiency | Mar 23, 2021
ASHRAE’s new headquarters walks the talk about net-zero energy
The conversion of a 1970s’-era building demonstrates how older structures can be made more efficient and sustainable.
Office Buildings | Mar 22, 2021
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida unveils design for new chapter HQ
Arquitectonica is designing the project.
Office Buildings | Mar 16, 2021
Perkins&Will unveils design of its New York Studio
The studio supports hybrid work models with agile layouts and integrated broadcast technologies.
Laboratories | Mar 10, 2021
8 tips for converting office space to life sciences labs
Creating a successful life sciences facility within the shell of a former office building can be much like that old “square peg round hole” paradigm. Two experts offer important advice.
Office Buildings | Mar 4, 2021
1905 industrial building set to become Acciona’s new office in Madrid
Foster + Partners is designing the project.
Office Buildings | Mar 3, 2021
Turano Baking Company’s new HQ and test kitchen completes in Oak Park, Ill.
Wright Heerema Architects designed the project.
Office Buildings | Feb 26, 2021
KWK Architects repurposes industrial site and warehouse into office space for Washington University School of Medicine
The project’s first two phases have been completed with the third and final phase under way.
Coronavirus | Feb 24, 2021
COVID-19 spurs need for specific building solutions
A medical supply house’s new call center and a vaccination module that can handle more patients faster are among the latest projects.