Howard Building Corporation

Project Description

The international law firm, K&L Gates, has grown its Orange County presence dramatically in recent years. As a result, the firm sought a location in the premier Irvine Company buildings at Park Place to accommodate its growth and centralize its many attorneys. The 39,000 square foot space is designed by a Washington D.C. group with the international studio, LSM. Having designed all 48 K&L Gates offices worldwide, LSM brings an aesthetic unique to the law firm's international identity.

The pristine design required extraordinary attention to detail, to the extent that every switch, thermostat, HVAC diffuser and security device were specifically located before construction ever began. An important concept in the design included transparency to allow attorneys to have clear views and not be confined in closed offices. Extensive glass was used for conference rooms and offices, and an imported Italian modular wall system was installed that required perfect alignment with ceiling and wall coves as well as lighting features.

The signature white space is punctuated by artwork from renowned international artists. Italian marble floors, chosen and cut specifically in the quarry for the project, create a rich field for the public spaces, and custom length recessed linear light fixtures create glowing bands of light throughout the hard lid spaces. A custom lacquer finish was used on feature walls, and a triple layer drywall ceiling construction provides enhanced acoustic privacy in conference rooms.

Honors