N CHAPARRAL OFFICES
Corpus Christi, TX / 12,000 SF / Office
Part of the accelerating rebirth of Corpus Christi’s downtown district, this project for the headquarters of a local law firm converts an abandoned warehouse into a striking social hub in service to the larger community. A large garden courtyard is carved into the old steel and concrete shell of the existing structure, activating each surrounding space with sunlight and greenery to soften the hard industrial setting. The rich historical skeleton frame of the building is expressed and emphasized, and the new programmatic elements are contained within pods that float within the singular volume of the space. A delicate stair leads to a new second floor that utilizes continuous north-facing window walls to look out onto the garden court below and the city skyline immediately beyond; on the primary south face the powerful sunlight is filtered with a ribbed screen wall that balances privacy and light.