KMA recently proposed a retrofit to an existing Kilroy Realty Corporation building located near University Towne Centre. The building is set so far from the street that it actually seems to disappear even though the building is made up of tilt-up concrete panels and black glass. Our design team felt that the original design was attempting to balance the lightweight and transparent nature of the glass box against the heavy handed tilt-up concrete structure. The design failed when the black glass was chosen which simply reflects its surroundings not allowing for any visual transparency or building identity to occur.
Our approach was to remodel the exterior skin based our assumptions of what the original design was attempting to display. By cladding the tilt-up concrete panels in “Ambar Parklex” panels, the thick outer walls are given dimensionality in opposition to the white Forms & Surfaces Honeycomb Frit glass that the curtain wall would be re-clad in. The balance of the parts would make for a building with varying contrast and definition.
Our approach to building identity from the street was to create a foot path from the sidewalk to the entrance and use the Parklex Panels to define the approach with a row of modern day obelisks. Not only will the vehicular passerby recognize more clearly the signage, but there attention will be drawn to what was once a very unassuming building.