Eco Effects
Sustainable Showcase
Two Firms Use Adaptive Reuse to Create Office Space
architectural firms in the same city to come
together and share office space, it definitely
worked out for two firms in San Antonio.
time finding the perfect space to accommodate their growing practices. They came together and converted a former trailer manufacturing facility into offices that showcase
the firms’ skills and highlight their interest
in demonstrating sustainable practices in
architectural design.
Located on the corner of East Cevallos
Street and South Flores in an underutilized
commercial/industrial area just south of downtown San Antonio, the 1-acre (0.4-hectare)
site contained three existing buildings that totaled approximately 16,000 square feet (1,486
m2 ). Each of the two firms took over a building for their office space, while they share the
900-square-foot (84-m2 ) third building on the
site for storage.
“The sizes of the buildings fit our firms
perfectly,” said Mickey Conrad, principal of
OCO Architects. “They were almost the exact
square footage we were looking for.”
The firms received LEED Silver Certifica-
tion for the new office space by reusing as
much of the existing materials as possible in
the refurbishment of the two buildings and efficiently renovating the buildings to resemble
their industrial beginnings.
“We set out from the beginning to use as
much of the materials as we could,” Conrad
said. “One of the challenges was trying to
determine what we could salvage to reuse
and what we basically had to discard. We
looked at all of the pieces we had here onsite and asked ourselves how we could reuse
things in a creative way.”
OCO renovated a 5,200-square-foot (483-
m2 ) building for their new offices to provide
day lit, comfortable and open work areas that
promote creativity and collaboration.
OCO was able to salvage all the existing
steel framing of the building, over which skins
of glass and corrugated siding were stretched.
Additionally, existing industrial sash windows
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS COOPER
METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS MAY 2008
O’Neill Conrad Oppelt Architects Inc.
and Alamo Architects were having a difficult
By Marcy Marro
46 While it may seem odd for two competing
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Eco Effects
were turned into guardrails, wood and steel
garage doors were made into partitions, and
recycled flooring was reused to sheath walls
and trim partitions and openings.
“We were able to salvage the existing
metal roof and use it as our interior roof,” Conrad said. “We insulated it and then installed a
new metal roof on top of it.”
The exterior of the building features gal-
vanized corrugated metal panels, galvanized
standing-seam roofing, existing exposed
concrete, structural clay tile and storefront
window systems. Corrugated “S” deck
wall panels and “Cee Lock” standing-seam
metal roof panels by Berridge Manufacturing Co., San Antonio, were used. The new
awnings and overhangs are made from
recycled steel and galvanized roof deck.
The interior of the building features
exposed steel trusses, a loft of exposed
wood framing and a reused ships ladder.
The original steel garage sectional doors
were reused for the entry wall and receptionist desk. Covering the north wall of the
reception area are large windows that overlook one of the landscaped courtyards, providing natural light and reducing the need
for artificial light. The interior colors—terra
cotta, golden rod and turquoise—were
derived from the old paint of the buildings
industrial safety scheme. All existing steel
was left exposed and unfinished.
“Our whole design emphasis was to
retain the same feel that the old steel had, so
we didn’t cover anything up,” Conrad said.
“We just used it in an aesthetic way.”
Energy-efficient light fixtures that utilize
an efficient T5 bulb and low-flow plumbing
fixtures are used throughout the building.
An existing dead pecan tree was
milled on-site, and the lumber was used
to construct a new conference table and
occasional tables. Huge springs from the
overhead doors were used for the conference table’s legs. Salvaged access doors
were combined to make a sliding barn door
as the entrance of the conference room.
Translucent acrylic panels are used for the
ceiling and walls of the conference room,
providing the ability to share natural light
48 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS MAY 2008
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Eco Effects
while creating an open office environment.
insulation from an acoustic standpoint.”
existing concrete paving into more manage-
able sizes and used it for the garden walls
Workstations are designed around a
The interior perforated metal panels
SoFlo Office Studios, San Antonio
Architects: O’Neill Conrad Oppelt Architects
Inc., San Antonio,
“quad” floor plan aimed at promoting team-
were 20-gauge 1/2-inch- (13-mm-) diameter
and pavers,” Conrad said.
work and an open office environment. Each
holes at 11/16-inch (17-mm) staggered cen-
station is created from unfinished Medium
ters by McNichols, Tampa, Fla.
have received many awards for their reno-
and Alamo Architects, San Antonio,
Density Fiberboard, which was made on-
vated SoFlo Studios, including: Best of 2007
www.alamoarchitects.com
site by one of the firm’s employees. The
by a series of courtyards paved with re-
for renovation, design by Texas Construction
General contractor: Malitz Construction Inc.,
design of the workstations maximizes the
cycled concrete combined with crushed
magazine; Citation Award and Commen-
use of a standard sheet of metal. Addition-
granite gravel, fenced with salvaged steel
dation for Sustainability 2007 by AIA San
San Antonio,
ally, each workstation is equipped with a
windows and recycled concrete slabs, in ad-
Antonio; and the 2007 Best in Commercial
separate, user-controlled task light.
dition to being planted with native species.
Real Estate for Interior Design/Eco-Friendly
A raised planting area made from recycled
Office Space by The San Antonio Business
and existing concrete that was diamond-
concrete forklift counter weights, along with
Journal. The city of San Antonio granted the
www.rootdesigncompany.com
polished in place. The carpeting is interface
a fishpond made from pre-concrete septic
property local historic landmark status.
Fabricator: Russ Steel Fab and Erection,
carpet tiles that were salvaged from the
tank rings, are in the east courtyard. Each
New Braunfels, Texas
demolition of another building.
of the three trellis entrances and shade
of what can be done when firms work to-
Cistern: Spec-All Products Inc., Austin,
structures are fabricated from steel that was
gether. By joining forces and purchasing a
seals of the windows, and from there on up
salvaged from the demolition process. A
property that fit both their needs perfectly,
www.specallproducts.com
we exposed the new insulation and covered
6,500-gallon (24,700-L) cistern by Spec All
OCO Architects and Alamo Architects were
it with perforated metal panels, allowing the
Products Inc., Austin, Texas, catches rainwa-
able to create sustainable offices that show-
sound to be absorbed by the insulation,” Con-
ter and condensation for irrigation.
cased their abilities and help re-vitalize a part
rad said. “This way we are benefiting from the
of downtown San Antonio.
The flooring is a combination of carpet
“On the interior, we used drywall up to the
The two independent offices are linked
“In our landscape plan we broke up the
OCO Architects and Alamo Architects
SoFlo office studios are a great example
www.ocoarchitects.com,
www.malitzconstructioninc.com
Landscape architect: Root Design Co.,
Austin, Texas,
Metal wall and roof panels: Berridge
Manufacturing Co., San Antonio,
www.berridge.com, Circle #91
Perforated metal panels: McNichols,
Tampa, Fla.,
www.mcnichols.com, Circle #92
50 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS MAY 2008
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