University of Santa Cruz Faculty Housing

On-Going Remodel

The Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building was built in 1993 and constructed as a U.S. Courthouse and office building. The building mainly consists of two towers both of which have floors that are shaped like an octagon. The octagon shape allowed for breathtaking views of the city from all angles but also created unique design opportunities when placing workstations and built in offices. Additional special consideration had to be taken with accessibility requirements due to the limited clearance in the unconventional suite shape.

    • location

    • SF

    • $$

    • Completed

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.

  • Item description

    • University of Santa Cruz

Project Features

  • Work Place Space Planning

    A unique feature of this design was the use of diagonals within the floorplan layout. Diagonal lines can add a sense of movement, energy, and excitement to a space, breaking away from traditional orthogonal layouts and injecting a fresh perspective. In incorporating diagonals, space planning became a crucial aspect of this overall design. Diagonal lines can create irregularly shaped spaces, which may pose challenges for arranging furniture, workstations, and circulation paths. It was essential to ensure that the diagonal elements do not hinder the efficiency of the workflow.

  • COVID Regulations

    As the world gradually recovers from the pandemic, some of these changes may persist in the long term. The new workplace design prioritizes adaptability and resilience, with companies preparing for future disruptions and embracing technology that enables seamless collaboration regardless of physical location. Open office layouts, which were once favored for promoting collaboration and interaction, faced challenges due to their inherent density. Many organizations opted for modified layouts that included physical barriers, spaced-out workstations, and directional signage to ensure physical distancing.

“Utilizing the requirements provided by USDA, F2G designed a space that met all requirements while also giving great functionality, flow, and pleasing aesthetics. The design includes thoughtful and creative design solutions utilizing current workplace trends such as biophilia, which will make this office a fantastic place to work. F2G had, and continues to have great communication and business processes which have made the project highly effective and highly successful.”

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Additional Information

Mission

The office layout prior to this tenant improvement was larger than USDA-OIG needed. It also had an unpleasant layout with rooms in the middle of the floor that had no natural light. The mission of this tenant improvement was to split off a portion of the existing suite to just be used for USDA, as well as redesign the layout of all the interior office spaces. 

Equitable access to natural light was a main mission of this project as well. Unlike the previous design of the space USDA-OIG did not feel that access to natural light and views was something that only higher-up management with offices deserved. Hoteling desks were all placed along the windows to allow guests or employees to get a change of pace and work surrounded by the views.

Management Plan

Throughout the project, there were weekly meetings with the design team, GSA team, and USDA-OIG clients that would be using the space. Having that direct communication with clients allowed the project to move efficiently and become a space that was customized to their needs. The design team kept close communication internally and worked together from the start of pre-designed to ensure that what was being drawn in bubble diagrams and schematic packages was a design that was fully functional. 

Schedule and Budget

The schedule and budget remained on track throughout the project. The cost estimates at every stage of design were accurate to the final construction cost.

Approach to Design

The concept was to create a space that reflected and related to the USDA office responsibilities. Wall murals depicting graphics related to USDA were located throughout the space including images of redwoods and sunflowers. This increased occupant connectivity to the natural environment. A functional concept was achieved through the design and layout of the office spaces and open office areas. The design centered on maximizing the number of views and natural light each person's desk would receive. The workstations were angled in their layout to allow views through two different sides of the octagon floor layout for each person. The design allowed for ease of circulation as well as optimizing the views of the outdoors. There were no long, dark, dead-end hallways which kept all the spaces brighter and more inviting.

The area that is the furthest away from any natural light is the front desk, mail, and IT workstations. In order to have that space be welcoming three murals were added to the hallway next to them. Along with that, between the murals are windows that look through the offices all the way to the outdoors to keep that connection with the city outdoors. This is also the entry space of the suite and is impactful to every new visitor entering the space. 

At the heart of the office design was a new break room with a colorful tile backsplash to brighten up the office. There were full-height windows placed in the break room so that you could see inside it from the office. Along with the tile lighting, pendants with matching colors were used to make the space feel more relaxing. Walnut veneer cabinets and a counter were used to bring more natural finishes into the office as well.

Security Requirements

A major impact on the design as well was that USDA-OIG has two departments working within this suite that both have different security requirements. There are auditors and investigators working within this suite but the auditors needed to be restricted from accessing investigator offices, storage, and workstations. The investigators are able to go into the auditors' space without restrictions. Due to the requirements, the office has to essentially be split in half.

The break room was used as a common space that could be accessed from both sides of the office. Each side had to have their own printing stations and conference rooms. 

There were also physical security measures that had to be taken to protect the investigator’s equipment and files from getting into the hands of anyone outside the department. A security mesh was installed inside all of the walls for this space and careful consideration was taken when choosing the lock type for each room.

Program and Function

To accommodate the new user in the space interior improvements needed to be made. Interior improvements to partition walls, finishes, and door frames were included in the updates as well as providing additional physical security to select areas of importance. 

Interior improvements to include the addition or modification of electrical and telecommunication, mechanical, and fire sprinklers/alarms for 7 private offices, 19 workstations, and 9 hoteling spaces. Group spaces such as team rooms and conference rooms and a new break area were also included in the design.