601 McCarthy Renovation
Client
Embarcadero Capital Partners
Location
Milpitas, California
With the previous tenant relocating to a build-to-suit campus, ownership looked to Studio TMT to help them upgrade the market appeal of 601 McCarthy in preparation for a new leasing effort. The design team identified several areas for improvement: update the overall dated appearance; upgrade the entry experience into the project building; upgrade the exterior amenity spaces; and strengthen their connection to the interior. By removing the existing building’s shed entry and replacing the adjacent tinted glass with clear allowed the existing gentle curves of the flanking facades to draw the viewer's eyes inward. A new lightweight, airy, overhead trellis adds to the sense of enclosure without hindering the transparency. The thick/thin aesthetic along with the increased view into the interior provides a new sense of visual engagement not afforded with the original construction. Complementing the architectural improvements, the entry landscaping has been upgraded to reinforce the concept. A vast existing landscaped open space lies just outside the building’s café function. The design team sought to strengthen this entry both functionally and visually by replacing this entire section of ground floor glazing with a clear glass assembly of both swing and sliding doors. An automatic sliding door nearest the café enables tray carrying users to access the outside conveniently while a pair of swinging doors on the opposite end offer convenience and contribute to the building's exiting requirements. Between is a series of manual sliding glass panels that can fully open exposing the inside to outside to take advantage of the areas' often perfect weather. Recalling the building’s newentry trellis, a new lightweight trellis serves to relieve the overpowering scale of the existing architecture for diners while providing shade and relief from the potentially intense summer sunshine.Construction is underway and is slated for completion in early 2017.