Final Exam - Office Building

Now a days, Offices become our second home where we spend most of our day and where the atmosphere is suppose to be as comfortable as possible. Below is a suggested layout, furniture and finish materials of a commercial space of a private office, conference room, and a reception with the usual service areas. The finishes were selected to accommodate functionality, durability, and maintenance-free is some areas. With the busyness of the daily work, the surroundings  

Floor Plan 

 Perspective View 1

Perspective View 2 

Finishes Schedule 

Flooring

1- Hardwood flooring:

Wood flooring is always a lovely easy to maintain choice whether in commercial or residential application. this type of Walnut flooring is a warm natural knots with weathered detailed is one of the best celling flooring in Leftwich Chapman Flooring America in Lubbock, Tx. 

To istall a hardwood floor the first step is to make sure the floor is solid and flat as a base for the new installed flooring. Too much traffic on the floor might affect the results of the first hours of the installation. Finally, to fasten the floors face-nail by hand is one of the options available to securely close the join the base and the new floors. 

To maintain the wood flooring special wood products need to be used, the most important thing though is not using vinyl and tile care products and to use wax with cautious because it can cause the floors to be slippery. 

2- Tile flooring: 

This beautiful Spinoza tile is glazed porcelain finish and rustic dimension combine with high color variation for a look that's remarkably warm and stylish. It is slip- and frost-resistant and has a Group IV P.E.I. wear rating. Durability is a key element in all tile flooring once it was installed correctly.

To install tile flooring good adhesive can do the work, however, grout between the tiles is important too as an aesthetic element and as a moisture barrier. 

To maintain tile flooring, special care products are available in the market. 

Floor Calculation: for this office area, hardwood was designed to cover the whole office area except for the restroom which is in tiles. the total square footage area for the hardwood floor are 517 sqf and 55.25 sqf for the restroom. 

Leather (Seats Fabric)

The Mendoza name implies smoothness and softness which is the identifying characteristic of this top grain, semi-aniline leather. Visually, the leather features a mild suavage effect. To the touch, the softness and drape immediately tellof the quality and value in the leather. Leather seating not only easier to clear but also, gives a since of professionally and cleanness to the furniture; Also, it doesn't hold odors from spills and stains, can withstand more heavy use than cloth upholster, moreover, it feels good to set on and looks always rich.  

   

Maintenance:

Deal with spills and soil gently and quickly (do not rub or scrub). Use a clean cloth or sponge. If necessary, use clean distilled water only and let dry naturally.

Do not use solvent or any product involving solvents to clean leather furniture.

Here are some information about this specific leather used in this project: 

Raw Material: Bovine Hides

Thickness: 0.9-1.1 mm

Type Dyeing: Aniline Drum-dyed through

Type Finish: Lightly pigmented with suavage

Classification: Full Top Grain, Semi-Aniline

Calculation: In this office there are 12 seats than needs to be upholstered, which lead to 48 sqf of leather fabric for the chairs. 

Countertop - Corian:

Corian is a solid surface comes in a variety of hues, tones, and colors. It is easy to clear and the nonporous, stain-resistant characteristic of it makes it durable and maintenance free which is ideal for kitchens, baths, and healthcare facilities. The durability of the product is what makes is sustainable.

Installation:

A. Install components plumb, level and rigid, scribed to adjacent finishes, in accordance with approved shop drawings and product data.

1. Provide product in the largest pieces available.

2. Form field joints using manufacturer’s recommended adhesive, with joints inconspicuous in finished work.

a. Exposed joints/seams shall not be allowed.

3. Reinforce field joints with solid surface strips extending a minimum of 1 inch on either side of the seam with the strip being the same thickness as the top.

4. Cut and finish component edges with clean, sharp returns.

5. Rout radii and contours to template.

6. Anchor securely to base cabinets or other supports.

7. Align adjacent countertops and form seams to comply with manufacturer’s written recommendations using adhesive in color to match countertop.

8. Carefully dress joints smooth, remove surface scratches and clean entire surface.

9. Install countertops with no more than 1/8-inch (3 mm) sag, bow or other variation from a straight line.

Maintenance: 

1- Washing with soap and water is usually sufficient to remove surface dirt or stains.

2- Ammonia based liquid cleaner (not window cleaner) may also be used. Always rinse surface thoroughly and wipe dry.

3- Drying is an important step, preventing a build-up of soap film or cleaning residue, which can create the appearance of light scratches over time.

4- For darker colors, a polish may be used to enhance the shine. For areas where there may be food contact, always use a polish formulated for food contact areas. Where food contact is not a possibility, a simple furniture polish may be used. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using the polish and for safety concerns.

5- Always use a trivet or hot pad under hot cookware.

6- Use of a cutting board is highly recommended. 

·  

Calculation:

The countertop in the kitchenette of this office is built on one side and almost 5’X 2’ with a thickness of 2 inches.

Ceiling: 

The ledges office ceiling from Armstrong is a great choice for this space because of it's simple yet elegant look and affordable prices. it also has the sound barrier ability which is important in offices to increase the privacy and productivity. Moreover, these ceiling has 52% of recycled materials which makes is sustainable and LEED credited. 

Below is some photos of the finishes selected for the space: 

 Crown Molding 

 BaseBoard

 Conference and private office paint color

Whole office area

In the end, offices and commercial areas should be designed in a way to help minimize the harshness and the practicality of the space and makes it somewhat closer a relaxing, yet professional atmosphere. By choosing the right colors, finishes and material quality, any space should be timeless. 

Reference:

1. No Author.(N.D), Online Fabric Store. Retrieved on Des 7th 2012 from http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/vinyl-and-faux-leather/pvc-free-faux-leather/ultrafabrics-brisa-distressed-spanish-moss-fabric-.htm

2. No Author. (N.D), Flooring America. Retrieved on Des 4th 2012  from http://www.leftwichchapmandesignerfloor.com/tile.aspx

3. No Author.(N.D), Flooring America. Retrieved on Des 4th 2012 from http://www.leftwichchapmandesignerfloor.com/hardwood/downsdefenderwood/etiquette/westgatewalnut/55sixteenthsin.aspx

4. No Author.(N.D), Sherwin Williams. Retrieved on Des 7th 2012 from http://www.sherwin-williams.com

5. No Author.(N.D), Armstrong. Retrieved on Des 7th 2012 from http://www.armstrong.com/commceilingsna/article22717.html

6. No Author.(N.D), IMC.Retrieved on Dec 7^th 2012 from http://www.imcstone.com/imc_slab_granite_slab-bianco-antico

7. No Author.(N.D), Wish I had That. Retrieved on Des 7th 2012 from http://www.wishihadthat.com

Parkhill, Smith & Cooper, Inc.

A little of background

Parkhill, Smith & Cooper, Inc. is a multi-task design firm that provides Architecture, Engineering, and Design services in the Texas state. in 1945, the company was established in Lubbock and in 2010 ranked in the top 3 of multidiscipline Architecture/Engineering firms to work for. The firm has collected more than 35 Design Awards in the past 10 years and got LEED certified for a number of buildings such as the new office building in Lubbock, Tx in 2009. 

With six offices around Texas, the firm's services include: Aviation engineering, site development, solid waste, highway/railways, and structural. In Architecture they deal with healthcare, government, higher education, religious, and commercial. Moreover, they provide landscape and interior design services. 

The headquarter in Lubbock has two building, the original building and a new LEED certified one in the same block. below are some photos of the old office.  

headquarter - Lubbock 

 Interior open space - working area with open concept 

Another view of the working area - shelves along the corridors backing the offices

The new building (LEED certified) was intended to be green beginning with the parking lot which was purposely angled to facilitate the drainage movement.

Parking of the LEED building across from the old one - LEED certified

this green parking is a technique to reduce the stormwater runoff

To create this type of green parking, the soil needs to be thick to store water inside, which helps with maintaining the site.

LEED certified in 2009

Partition detail 

for the interior work space, the same concept, furniture layout, and selection of materials, were kept to maintain the same spirit of the old building 

Another important element of this building is the green roof which was designed to reduce the amount of heat entering the space which will lead to a reduction in electricity use for cooling a huge space.  

 Vegetation on the roof 

PSC is a great multidiscipline firm where every field can learn and benefit from the other because of the open concept layout. It shows that a good work combines more than one discipline to succeed. 

Reference: 

http://www.team-psc.com/p1_aboutpsc.html

Jeff Seal - Homes in Lubbock -

Introduction: 

Jeff Seal is a professional office for building houses in Lubbock, Texas and some of the surrounding areas. The wonderful design team . The office basically builds homes from scratch; They envision, design, process, build, and finish the whole exterior and interior construction of the house!

The Team: 

Jeff Seal: is the owner and the Director of Design and Construction in the office. As a Texas Tech Alumni, Jeff Seal came back to Lubbock in 2002, after a three years of construction experience in Dallas, Tx, to start his own business and establish the company.

Abby Carter and Emily Jared are both Interior Designers who graduated from Texas Tech with a Bachelor degree in interior design. Being exposed to the market and the design aspect built on the skills these two designers have.

The designers create a set of construction drawings, rendered design sketches, and CAD elevations for the work and to be presented to the clients during the design process.

Below are some photos of a visit to two of their homes under construction in Lubbock, Tx.

Grand entrance (House 1)

The detailed wood work on the ceiling shows the beauty under the skin! which also, present the soul of the designed house."Timeless Appeal" is the way the Jeff Seal office describes their design criteria. 

The thickens of the interior wall is different than the typical to allow for extra strength and durability

Grand entrance ( House 2)

Kitchen cabinets during construction

wall detailing of the movie theater (Basement)

Jeff Seal explaining some of the work in the theater room

Talking to Jeff Seal and his team about the design process of starting a project from beginning to end, and achieving that point when the house is complete from paper drawings to reality, was really inspiring. However, one of the most powerful and successful attitude in this field is confidence, which was clearly the attitude of Jeff Seal business. 

Reference: 

http://www.jeffsealhomes.com/#/info/Design%20Studio/

Collins Tile and Stone (natural and manmade stones)

Collins tile and stone company in Lubbock, Texas is a great place for stone selections. The variety of stone slabs that are available and exposed to customers to see help them imagine the product in its final look and how well would the color and texture fit the space.

To satisfy all tastes, they have some special and exotic pieces such as the beautiful Blue Bahia from Brazil. 

Blue Bahia

Two other examples of the exotic stones the store has

The store has a designated area for the huge machines needed to cut, polish, and custom the stone based on the customer request and needs.

CNC machine