Project Data:

Completion Date:     11/29/2019

Square Footage:      20000

Building Use:           B GLEN COMPANY HEADQUARTERS

Design Architect:      Westgroup Designs, Inc.

Project Description:

Design for Well Being

b.glen, the moniker for Beverly Glen Laboratories, is an International skin care company focused on women’s wellness. Based in Japan, this west coast US headquarters in Huntington Beach is open around the clock, with one of their teams serving their largest client base in Osaka, whose time zone is 16 hours ahead.

The client’s strategic goal was to create an environment of harmony, or “Wa”, in Japanese culture, implying peaceful unity. The space was to integrate an aesthetic for staff to be comfortable, while dynamically inspired, at all hours of the day or night, with maximized efficiency for function, long-term growth and product innovation. This concept benefits all staff, where teams enjoy 360-degree daylight and evening views around the 20,000 square-foot floor plate.

Originally a multi-tenant suite floor build-out, a significant amount of the improvement budget was to be allocated to energy efficiency upgrades for mechanical systems, electrical systems and LED lighting from decades-old existing spaces, so the usable space design detail was strategically fashioned to be powerful, yet simple statements of visual form and texture. Rather than a scientific or healthcare aesthetic, the design seamlessly embraced the company leadership’s desire to combine their love of California coastal living with the respectful, architectural style of the Japanese culture, while also incorporating progressive technology thoughtfully, where it would be best utilized.

From the internally illuminated, floating, glass product shelves greeting guests in the entry, around the simple circulation and back to the reception lounge, each interior detail for framed interior views and shared amenities is scaled for the guests’ comfort, washed with daylight penetrating from perimeter to core on each elevation.

With a similarly transparent approach to communication and collaboration, the featured shoji-inspired, framed glass dividers and partitions in black aluminum finish, designates meeting spaces. The plan reinforced the Kanso concept of organized simplicity with centralized zones for each function. The appearance of simple seating areas respecting the surrounding negative space is the purposeful result of “yohaku no bi”; appreciating the beauty of “white space”. The term is borrowed from the Chinese “chi” which celebrates the implied and understated formless energy from which the universe emanates.

These open, flexible spaces throughout, highlight gathering areas with strategically placed acoustical “clouds” of floating panels with linear pendant lighting to reflect the bursts of this universal energy.

Achieving a state of “seijaku” relating to “energized calm” is illustrated with round forms for decorative lighting, finishes with soft warm textures and tones and furnishings with rounded corners to respect the efficiency of process while reinforcing creative tranquility .

Strategically placed digital technology equipment, such as automated systems and screen presentation spaces are highlighted in both private and shared areas, offset by hands-on display and collaboration tools, such as white board walls and pin-up boards.

Having a hands-on client team as part of the design process along the way provided the necessary collaboration to achieve success together, fulfilling b.glen’s corporate philosophy of working collaboratively to deliver the right solutions.