Strategic HR Services Costa Mesa, CA

Strategic HR Services is a dynamic and creative space that provides an alternative solution to the standard work environment. Located in a renovated warehouse with twenty-five foot ceilings, the contemporary facility is home to more than 75 employees who manage human resource consulting services including benefits products, training and staffing. Faced with the dual challenges of a limited construction budget and an aggressive project schedule of just sixteen weeks for design, documentation and construction, MVE sought to create a direction that would challenge accepted office standards while taking advantage of the unique character of the warehouse space. Designed as a village concept, semi-private offices and service rooms surround the interior perimeter and provide an open landscape for custom-built workstations located along the large windows punched into the building's exposed masonry facade. The wooden arms of these workstations extend like branches to provide a sense of enclosure for the staff and to lend the large space a human scale. Landmarks housing special functions such as conferencing are colorful sculptural elements that punctuate the landscape. To meet the modest construction budget, off-the-shelf building materials including gutters, copper mesh and plywood were creatively employed to lend texture and visual interest to the space, while the skillful application of color adds distinction and direction throughout the project.