Howard Building Corporation

Project Description

Athene Asset Management is a subsidiary of Athene Holding Ltd., an annuities investment and insurance company.  The asset management division provides investment solutions for the insurance industry with a focus on helping people achieve their financial goals for retirement.  Architects at SAA worked with Athene to design their new office in El Segundo, and HBC completed the initial build of the space in 15 weeks.

The 20,000 square foot space features a minimal palette throughout, with the use of blue in both the paint and furniture to accent the pristine white walls.  The reception area features a hard lid ceiling with recessed linear light fixtures that run in diagonal patterns and mirror the long cuts in the white stone floor below.  Conference rooms adjacent to the reception area are constructed with full height, seamless glass partitions that bend into the reception space, leading to the open work area and workstations beyond.  The flooring transitions from the white stone to carpet, further delineating the space.

Millwork doors and furniture create clean, architectural features throughout the space, allowing minimal effects to have more impact visually.  For example, upon exiting the elevator, a recessed, cove-lit niche appears as an opening with the sky beyond and acts as an alcove for the company’s logo and a graphic image of Athena at one end. The kitchen, another focal point in the office, includes a high countertop with bar seating, a tiled back splash, stainless steel appliances, and full height glass partitions.  The space is defined above by a hard lid feature ceiling with recessed and hanging light fixtures.  Overall, the clean details and design highlights reflect the efficiency and high quality embraced within the culture of Athene Asset Management.