The Science of Designing San Diego McFarl ane Architects
With so many pharmaceutical companies based out of San Diego, McFarlane Architects mixes well.
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May/June 2012 $24.95 USD $26.30 CAN
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Story by Paige L. Hill life technologies corporation and Sorrento technology park and science center Photos by Jim Brady forest capital Photos by Brad Anderson
Life Technologies Corporation General Contractor: J.R. Construction Structural Engineer: GSSI Structural Engineers, Inc. Electrical Engineer: MPE Consulting, Inc. Mechanical Engineer: Creo Engineering
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The
With so many pharmaceutical companies based out of San Diego, McFarlane Architects mixes well.
Science of Designing
San Diego Neal McFarlane may have decided to become an architect as just a teenager, but in deciding how to go about it, he was wise beyond his years. “I was lucky enough to land a summer job with an architect before starting college which helped me figure out that being an architect is more than being a good designer, it also means being a good businessman, who is skillful at managing, marketing, and accounting,” McFarlane said, “that is why I chose to attend the University of Utah because their program allowed me to get my Bachelors in business and my Masters in architecture, so I could have the skills to begin my own firm.” McFarlane Architects out of San Diego, Calif. provides full architectural design, programming, master planning, and interior design services to support its clients at every stage of the real estate process and facility cycle, from initial strategies to implementation and management. The firm’s portfolio includes small tenant improvement projects to fully developed sites of multiple buildings and parking structures. McFarlane Architects’ designs capitalize on creative ideas and technical expertise in order to exceed client expectations; therefore, enhancing each client’s operations, culture and business goals. This service-oriented philosophy to design has attracted prestigious clients and talented professionals, like one of McFarlane’s recent projects: Life Technologies Corporation. “This industry leader outgrew their offices and needed something that was both functional for their needs and professional to reflect their stature,” McFarlane said, “their offices had originally been developed as two completely separate properties, so even though the two properties were adjacent
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there was this sense of disconnection. That lack of cohesion really bothered senior management and they asked me to create a design that would unite the two properties.” Given McFarlane’s business background, he could easily understand the importance of creating a unified campus to facilitate collaboration among employees. The design began by creating a new entrance to the campus with a monumental entry plaza. “One detail that was very important to the client was having a water feature to signify their work – as water is the source of all life and their work in the life sciences industry goes hand in hand with this industry that is all about improving the quality of life, so we translated this physical metaphor in the form of a fountain,” McFarlane said, “the water feature is located between the two main driveways into the campus and has two waterfalls and a stone veneered monument wall 4 Architecture Leaders Today
in the center to display the Life Technologies Corporation logo. The second challenge was to create a new corporate headquarters main lobby and second story boardroom where there had been an existing truck dock. The lobby was a challenging space, but we were able to incorporate plenty of natural daylight, stone finishes and an impressive reception area that included a cantilevered stair with glass rail system up to the second floor boardroom,” McFarlane said, “and it doesn’t just look impressive, the project garnered a LEED Silver certification too.” “Given that they are in the life sciences industry, energy efficiency and creating a healthy environment was important to the client from the beginning,” McFarlane said, “Life Technologies Corporation gained recognition in 2009 from Newsweek Magazine who listed them among America’s 500 largest green corporations.” “Just before construction was completed we
took the CEO through the space and he was extremely pleased,” McFarlane said. “He was amazed how much the finished product resembled the 3-D renderings, but the best part for him was being able to see the water feature at the entry to the campus from inside the lobby.” The project was good for practice for McFarlane Architects’ project for Dart Neuroscience, a company that was relocating from New York to Torrey Pines, Calif. – a neuroscience research company that needed 80,000 square feet of space to consist of mostly biology and chemistry laboratories. McFarlane’s networking also came in handy in being hired for the project. “A commercial real estate broker I had worked with in the past asked me to join them on a few tours of various properties to help them evaluate their potential,” McFarlane said, “it obviously went well because they hired me to design the renovations once they signed a long term lease.
previous: The Life Technologies Corporation in San Diego, Calif. This start-up pharmaceuticals research company outgrew their offices and needed something that would be both functional and professional to meet their growing client base. opposite: The two-story lobby space of boasts natural daylight. From the inside, one can see the water feature just outside, a nod to the company’s work in the life sciences and medicine. this page, top: One of the research labs had to be converted from a chemistry lab into a biology lab to better suit their needs. this page, bottom: Another angle of the lobby reveals the grand staircase and the expanse of glass to the outside.
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cLOCKWISE, fROM lEFT: Dart Neuroscience in Torrey Pines, Calif. As the company researched relocating to Calif. from New York, McFarlane joined them on the real estate tours and helped the firm select the right location — creating perhaps the first chemical laboratories to overlook the Pacific Ocean. Though the building did include laboratories, they needed to be renovated extensively. The Dart Neuroscience lobby uses warm wood grain, cool gray striped carpeting, and glass surfaces to increase the feeling of size.
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The major challenge in renovating the space was switching over manufacturing clean rooms into biology and chemistry labs. “You’d think they would be similar, but the old manufacturing space had recirculated air and we needed an HVAC system that used 100% outside air, so we had to re-engineer the HVAC and include an exhaust system. For cost reasons we wanted to keep the building’s existing biology labs which were on the perimeter of the building, but we were also able to design the chemistry labs where they also had a view through interior windows to the outside so they also had a view of Torrey Pines State Beach which the building overlooks. ” “These may be the only chemistry labs with an ocean view in San Diego!” McFarlane said. Dart Neuroscience was not the only tenant in the building, so when the owner of the building looked into McFarlane’s work he was hired to renovate the buildings common reception area as well. “It was very well received and we have since embarked on new projects with them,” McFarlane
said, “Since the company was still in their infancy, our work really helped them create a first class research facility that also provided a professional environment to attract top researchers.” This kind of expertise made McFarlane a perfect choice for the Forest Capital office remodel project. Forest Capital, a holding company that recently acquired a small biotech business decided they needed a significant business presence in San Diego. “They approached me about creating an office space here in San Diego to reach out to clients and businesses locally given my knowledge in their field,” McFarlane said. Though the building Forest Capital had found boasted great views of San Diego and soaring ceilings, it was built prior to laser technology being used in the construction industry which showed in the poor alignment of the existing floors and walls. “We found a four inch difference in elevation from one end of the floor to the other!” McFarlane said, “aligning the finishes and finding ways to correct the problem required some engineering
Forest Capital Electrical Subcontractor: Ickler Electric Corporation Structural Engineer: GSSI Structural Engineers, Inc. General Contractor: DPR Construction Inc.
and creative techniques.” The project also gave them the chance to update the building to ADA codes. Forest Capital also used McFarlane Architects’ creativity with design in creating an office environment that would reflect their professional work ethic. “This was a unique project because Forest Capital doesn’t have a lot of the rank and file employees you see in most businesses. This space needed to reflect that most of the employees would be senior management with their own offices. We came up with a design that capitalized on the panoramic views of San Diego from the various executives’ offices.” Senior management with luxury taste too. “They requested large expanses of marble, natural wood, great pieces of artwork – they wanted the whole look to be contemporary and high-end,” McFarlane said. Such requests come with a price tag to match, but Forest Capital was ready to foot the bill if the finished look lived up to what they had dreamed up. “A two-story custom
marble clad wall with a recessed 12’ x 12’ custom painting was certainly the most challenging of the requests, but the effect was stunning as the backdrop to the grand staircase connecting to the CEO’s suite. “The CEO’s executive suite was the most rewarding part of the project to work on since he had a clear vision of what he wanted,” McFarlane said. “African mahogany wooden star treads lead to the office with artwork by Russell Chattam along the way. Even the CEO’s administrative assistant’s desk was a custom design with quarter-figured anagre wood paneling and marble countertops.” “The reception to the project was phenomenal and all of the executives agreed that the finished product exceeded their expectations,” McFarlane said. “A lot of our challenges are similar because we work on similar projects in similar parts of California – we are generally working in older industrial buildings that were built before the 1980s when the biotech and pharmaceutical industry began to
CLOCKWISE, fROM tOP lEFT: Forest Capital, San Diego, Calif. Though the building Forest Capital hired McFarlane to renovate boasted soaring ceilings and great views, it was designed in a pre-laser technology world which showed in the off alignment of the floors and walls. The grand staircase is lined in heavy and impressive marble. Modern, clean lines rule the design of this office with bright wood grains and custom carpeting. The curve of this hallway effortlessly molds with stone and wood surfaces to aesthetically display the company’s art collection.
develop here,” McFarlane said, “We understand the very specific electrical power and HVAC needs these projects require. We have truly carved out this particular niche and understand what goes into them architecturally.”
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