Applied Broadband, an advanced software and technology company, was looking for a new office in Boulder for their headquarters and base of operations. With few options in Boulder for new construction, they pursued a total gut and remodel of an existing 4600 sf building that had decent bones but needed a major transformation.
The project had a fixed budget so the design team worked closely with the contractor throughout the process to ensure the design did not exceed the budget. re:architecture developed an approach of strategic intervention to create a fundamentally new experience of the building from within and without. Some of the key design changes included:
- clearing out of all the interior partitions to make an open space
- cutting a hole in the floor to make a 2-story space to highlight the entry and make a stronger connection between levels
- transforming the stairs and wrapping them with “beetle-kill” pine to create a 2-story wood object in the space. (“beetle kill” pine is wood that has been reclaimed from the forests of Colorado after a major beetle infestation)
- adding new storefront on the south created a feeling of transparency and open-ness and highlighting the dramatic mountains views.
- making a new deck with a yellow fiberglass awning on the south side to create an outdoor space with mountain views for employees. The awning highlights the entry and creates solar control for thre south-facing glass wall.
- adding unique custom-designed ceiling elements to create highlights within the space. Using digital fabrication techniques we created a voronoi pattern that was cut with a CNC machine and then suspended from the ceiling
- creating important energy upgrades with new windows and insulation throughout to make this a high-performance building. A steel mesh ceiling grid hid the added insluation and mechanical system but maintained a sense of open-ness.
The interior space is designed to be serious work environment for experienced engineers that fostered a sense of innovation. To facilitate this there are private glass work stations for the staff with collaboration spaces include soft furniture and a shared work space with a large white board as well as a highly mediated glass- walled conference room.
On the outside the building is unified with charcoal gray paint and stucco and highlighted with massive street numbers creating a new, dynamic identity for the building. A new entry experience was created with open glazing heightened by the second-floor deck and gridded yellow sunscreen.
A courtyard was added at the front with concrete walls and a custom gabion system that mirrors the detailing of the railing. Black Mexican pebbles provide a textured infill in the steel mesh of the gabion. This creates a serene private courtyard that flows from the large conference room on the ground level. A dynamic layout of blue stone and concrete on the ground creates a dynamic graphic pattern that can be seen from the entry deck above. These changes created a strong identity for Applied Broadband and gave new life to an old building. The project was awarded an AIA Colorado Deign Award of Merit in 2016.
Material Used :
1. Facade: split face concrete block and cement board
2. Courtyard Wall: Poured concrete and steel mesh frame with black ricer rock
3. Courtyard Tile: bluesone
4. Railing: Expanded metal from Mcnichols & Co.
5. Canopy: Yellow Fiberglass Grating from McNichols & Co.
6. Interior stair: clad with local beetle kill pine
7. Interior clouds: digital fabrication on painted birch plywood
8. Interior bridge: aluminum
