CHARLESTON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE

North Charleston, SC

LS3P was able to update and re-brand CDRA while using inexpensive materials to significantly reduce labor and material costs. A large banded feature wall was designed to connect the public and private spaces of the office. It was clad with a pre-finished “real” wood laminate material that allowed for the warmth of wood without the costly finishing of standard custom millwork. Where possible, existing walls, doors, frames, ceiling panels and overhead lighting were re-used and refinished. Where additional doors and frames were needed to complete the design, the landlord provided additional parts and pieces from a storage inventory on site. Doors and frames were painted with a consistent color to neutralize their differences.

To harvest the maximum amount of natural day lighting, the floor plan was re-designed to direct natural light into each office. For interior offices where natural light was unavailable, light was borrowed through horizontal “punched” openings created from offices with exterior windows. This planning move not only saved costs in the purchase of artificial lighting, but provided quality, light-filled spaces for the staff who occupy them. Where privacy was a concern, inexpensive translucent film with the appearance of etched glass was used to obscure the view, while allowing the natural light to filter through.