SoFlo Office Studios
A decrepit truck-trailer manufacturing plant becomes green office spaces for two firms.
Photo © Chris Cooper Photography
Photo © Chris Cooper Photography
Photo © Chris Cooper Photography
Photo © Chris Cooper Photography
Photo © Bob Wickley Photography
Alamo Architects and OCO Architects jointly purchased a 1940s truck-trailer manufacturing plant on a 2-acre lot in downtown San Antonio. Rather than demolish the dilapidated structures, the architects sought to integrate the industrial property into a mixed-use building, which would provide two office spaces for the firms, while honoring the industrial heritage of the area.
After the abatement of the corrugated cement-asbestos siding, roofing, and window glazing compounds, the remaining shell structures were re-clad in galvanized corrugated metal and roofing, and new operable windows and storefronts. The industrial vocabulary was celebrated with the reuse of the steel sash clerestory windows as handrails and guardrails, the recycling of the long leaf pine flooring as interior wall cladding, and door and window casings. The existing steel and wood sectional garage doors were recycled as partition end caps and wall panels in both office interiors.
The existing multi-level mezzanine structure of steel pipe, angles, and channels was reconfigured as three distinct entry gates, two for the individual firms, and one as a common courtyard entrance from the staff parking area. The balance of the industrial sash windows was re-glazed with expanded metal, and was used as fence components.
The east courtyard, centered on a lush landscape bed with a concrete tank fishpond, has become the beer garden, a formal and informal meeting place for both firms’ employees. The reclaimed and reused materials were left in their aging, unfinished condition. The skeleton of the old fabrication shed was restored as the framework for the beer garden trellis.
The original concrete paving, as well as some from a nearby site, was reused as” poor man’s flagstone.” The largest pieces were simply tilted up and secured to recycled posts as the fence along the north and west property line. The height was kept low enough that the immense agaves and succulents growing next door were incorporated visually into the firm’s entry and visitors’ courtyards.
A 6,500-gallon cistern collects rainwater and HVAC condensate for landscape irrigation. Office areas have unobstructed views to the courtyards and utilize day lighting. Only a 5 percent volume of the construction waste, including demolition, was sent to the landfill. This project was awarded LEED Silver Certification by the USGBC in 2008.
PeopleOwner Magnificent So Flo Seven, LLC
Architect O’Neil Conrad Oppelt Architects, Inc.
Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit: O’Neil Conrad Oppelt Architects, Inc.-
Architect of record Mike McGlone, AIA
Interior designer Victor Castillo – Alamo Architects
Engineer(s) DBR Engineering Consultants - MEP
Consultant(s) Landscape: Root Design Company
General contractor Malitz Construction Company – John Malitz, Rene Munoz,PM
Photographer(s) Chris Cooper Photography (210)846-0852 All images except for Alamo Employees image which was taken by Bob Wickley Photography (210) 602-9910.
CAD system, project management, or other software used: |
ProductsStructural system Existing, Recycled/New fabrication by Russ Steel Exterior cladding Metal/glass curtainwall: Berridge Metal Wood: Reycled Long Leaf Pine Roofing Metal: Berridge Other: Stainless Steel Perforated Sun Shades - McNichols Windows Aluminum: Vistawall Glazing Glass: PPG Doors Sliding doors: Custom using Salvaged Metal, Stanley Track(OCO Architects) Hardware Locksets: Falcon Hinges: Hagar Interior finishes Suspension grid: Perforated Steel cable trays by Russ Steel Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: Glenn Dicus and Russ Steel Paints and stains: Sherwin Williams Wallcoverings: Plastic laminate: Abet Laminati (Alamo Architects) Floor and wall tile: Casa Dolce Casa - Restrooms (Alamo Architects) American Olean - Breakroom and Restrooms (OCO) Resilient flooring: Roppe (Alamo Architects) Carpet: Monterey, Interface Flooring (Alamo Architects) Furnishings Office furniture: Custom Built work surfaces and tables Reception furniture: Bernhardt Design, Herman Miller, Josef Hoffman (Alamo Architects) Chairs: Haworth, Herman Miller (Alamo Architects) Conference Chairs: E.A. Clore Sons Inc. (OCO Architects) Tables: Nienkamper (Alamo Architects) Custom Built (OCO Architects) Upholstery: Maharam (Alamo Architects) Other furniture (use additional sheet if necessary): Janus et Cie, Pankotto (Alamo Architects)IKEA (OCO Architects) Lighting Interior ambient lighting: Lithonia (OCO Architects) Track Lighting: Prescolite Task lighting:IKEA (OCO Architects), Alkco (Alamo Architects) Exterior: Kim Lighting Controls: Hubbell Building Automation Track by Prescolite Indirect Fluorescent: H.E. Williams Decorative outdoor: Winscape by Winona Plumbing Koehler – Water cooler, Toilets and Urinal, Elkay – Sinks, Moen - Faucets Add any additional building components or special equipment that made a significant contribution to this project: Recycled concrete repurposed as: Paving, Fencing Overhead doors repurposed as: Partition end caps Recycled steel sash windows repurposed as: Guardrails and Fencing Recycled wood decking repurposed as: Wall finish, Window and Partition Trim Mechanical/HVAC Systems: Carrier, Reznor, DuctSox (OCO)
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