Although it was constructed in 2001, the deep floor plates and labyrinthine corridors of this existing office building created a dark, disconnected and characterless interior space. With a deep renovation designed in tandem with our Daylit Homage to Agriculture project, SERA transformed the nondescript 3-story, 126,000 square-foot structure into the anchor for a 10-acre campus in Sunnyvale, California.
The foundation of the design was the creation of unique places that support the core work of this global technology client. Well-honed guidelines for spatial organization and experiences meant that it was critical to create distinctive places for focus work — and surrounding these places with immediate access to collaboration, meeting and social spaces. These gathering spaces are highly visible, while acoustic and visual privacy ensures that the company resources and assets are presented in a layered fashion – allowing employees and visitors to choose their level of engagement.
Sunnyvale’s industrial history is highlighted throughout the building in the form of exposed steel structure and dramatic lighting. Each thoughtfully-curated space is layered with custom artwork and found objects that feel personal, acquired over time, and are designed to provide occupants a tangible sense of place.
Admitting daylight deep into the building was a critical move achieved by demolishing interior partitions and carving in a new skylit feature stair – also serving as the social connector for the building. Altogether, this renovation was able to accommodate workspace and meeting rooms for 675 employees, including the 15,000 square-foot café serving up to 350 people at a time; a 500-person event space; and an extensive collection of informal lounge spaces.
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