the effects of a simple roof
Even a seemingly straightforward commercial project can produce an unexpected moment of delight in its design. The construction of a new office for Froehlinger & Robertson needed to perform well for the staff by providing a comfortable place to work and an efficient arrangement of space. The building is also in a prominent location on Route 250, so we identified the opportunity to design a noticeable and professional presence, and to capture the beautiful views of the Blue Ridge.
In an early session with our clients, a simple piece of folded chipboard opened up our vision for the resulting design.
The main feature of the building is the sloping room pointing toward the mountains. This roof, as simple as it looks, serves many purposes. It allows the windows to take advantage of the north light, and creates several interesting spaces inside the building. The slope directs drainage to the back of the building, but it also partly shields the view of the parking from the road. And finally, it acts as a visual landmark, a lantern along Route 250 to mark the presence of F&R in the community.
The roof’s peak houses the corner conference room which also has the highest ceiling, most glazing, and best views.
Materials testing and geotechnical engineering can be a dirty business, and our early meetings with our clients identified a program that separated the “lab” functions and the “office” functions. The resulting building organizes these into two distinct “wings” that keep offices clear of debris and visually separate views of parking and service areas.
One of our favorite spaces is this breezeway area between the buildings. Originally intended to be the location of a longer office wing, through exploring some design options for a more efficient use of office space we found an opportunity to create a nice separation between the two wings to help eliminate sound transfer, dust transfer (hopefully!) and also create a place for staff to meet outside or have lunches in the warmer months.