For their new office space, the members of SPACE Architects performed all project roles, including developer; architect and interior designer; custom furniture designer and fabricator; and general contractor; allowing them to better understand and assist current and future clients.
An energy-efficient office space, the project features a radiant floor, chilled plates, chilled walls, geothermal heat pump, 2,000 gallon (7,600 liters) underground storage tank for the energy system, 200-foot- (61-m-) deep geothermal wells under the parking lot and solar thermal arrays on the roof.
The building reduced the amount on watts per square foot for lighting from ASHRAE requirements and features an insulated building envelope. It also received a 51 percent improvement from building baseline in energy usage.
To make the project a reality, the company received multiple state and federal incentives, including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that provided a 30 percent reimbursement for the alternative energy system.
The office features a large open studio with exposed steel structure and wood deck, along with a steel wall spanning the length of the studio for “pin up.” The employee patio entry to the kitchen/break area is aligned with the collaborative area with a raised clerestory roof structure and large window opening. There is also a 1,300-square-foot (121-m2) wood and metal custom fabrication shop.
The metal on the SPACE studio walls are 4- by 10-foot (1- by 3-m) sheets of 18-gauge Galvanized steel, supplied by American Metal Products Group and distributed by Peters- Eichler Mechanical Co.
Owner/developer/architect/general contractor: SPACE Architects, St. Louis
Distributor: Peters-Eichler Mechanical Co., St. Louis
Galvanized metal: American Metal Products Group, Grand Rapids, Mich., www.americanmetalproducts.com
