Ajax Building Corp.

Scope Of Work

The project consisted of one 2-story structure, bookended by two existing downtown buildings, encompassing 10,330SF of legal office space. The conceptual inspiration for the building developed in a direct response to the owner’s request for a sleek, transparent design prioritizing the need to bring daylight deep within a narrow building footprint. Clerestory lighting proved to be the most appropriate design response and the one which most effectively solved the clients primary design goal. Rooted in orthodox modernism, the design harkens back to a time when the expression of structure and the direct and honest use of materials such as exposed concrete, steel, brick and glass were considered as essential. Using an assembly of materials and cues from neighboring buildings and quilting these components together in a material collage, the design blends with the fabric of adjacent buildings and tempers the contrast. The high roof extension and second-floor balcony appear to open in response to the mature oaks extending from the pedestrian level. These elements gracefully cantilever above the public walk providing a sense of shelter and arrival often found in southern vernacular architecture. Concrete stairs and flooring material changes are bifurcated by full-height, low iron curtain wall glazing, which blurs the separation between interior and exterior. Following the procession through an offset entry, tile accent walls are used as a visual guide, marking the transition through a squeezed foyer and reception into a large, open, two-story volume. A mahogany stairway with structural glass guardrails, extends behind a solid surface reception desk and announces the transition to the open office space above.