“This is a wonderful example of how thoughtful building re-use can create positive impacts to both occupants and community surrounding it.”
– Jury comment, Livable Building Awards

This project was awarded the 2010 Livable Building Award by the Center for the Built Environment at UC Berkeley. The selection was based on the occupant satisfaction, sustainability, IEQ, and overall design excellence.

STUDIOS renovated a 3-story, 65,000 sf tilt-up concrete industrial building adjacent to the UCSF Mission Bay Campus for administrative use for the Capital Programs and Facilities Management department. The new office space fosters increased collaboration between employees while offering a welcoming public face for the department, which manages and holds contracts for all campus construction and maintenance. Additionally, the renovated shell and new interiors serve as a working prototype for progressive workplace and sustainability strategies for CPFM’s research university clientele.

As part of a complete building shell overhaul, the existing windows were replaced with high performance double-glazing and operable vents. This airy perimeter floor zone was dedicated for CPFM’s open workstations, providing park views, natural ventilation, increased daylight and the warmth of the overhead timber construction. The private offices and core elements are organized into clusters that parallel one another, creating a central “boulevard” for reception, the permit counter, and conference rooms.

Orange, green and blue glass walls and floor finishes accentuate circulation. The reception area features a 20-foot long desk (made from sorghum husks, a rapidly renewable material), which serves as both reception and permit counter. A curved wall and ceiling feature creates a focal point for the reception area.

A clever arrangement of one of the enclosed fire stairs provides a voluminous, sky lit entry that spatially unites the three levels. Highly sustainable finishes, water usage and mechanical and lighting systems earned LEED certification.

A post-occupancy evaluation conducted approximately 6 months after move-in by the Center for the Built Environment yielded a score of 93% in General Building Satisfaction among users.