Nevada Core and Shell Office

This 44,000 sq. ft. office building in Henderson, Nevada, pays homage to its desert setting while including moments of brightness and light to reference the vibrance of nearby Las Vegas. The building grounds itself among a utilitarian data center campus with colors and textures that reintroduce the character of the natural geology and other features of the landscape.

The project design followed the client’s proprietary sustainability guidelines, prioritizing indoor air quality, healthy material selection, acoustic comfort, and ample access to views and daylight. 

The design team worked with a geology researcher to understand prominent geological features in the region, and the design team used a “vibe map” during the design process to arrange the workplace according to the needs of the team. The map informed decisions impacting the user experience, such as placement of environmental graphics, color use, and location-based themes, which included Sloan Canyon, Container Park, Vegas Lounge, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, and the Hoover Dam.

The surrounding Mojave Desert inspires imagery and color in the interior. The lobby and reception are layered with geological forms integrated into the design of the desk, seating area, and feature wall with geometric designs echoing rock outcroppings and strata of rock and earth found in the region. A two-story map graphic representative of the regional topography visually ties the upper and lower levels of the space together, while mixed patterns and textures on the building’s facade emulate the contrast of local gneiss rock with quartzite seismic “tension gashes.” 

A project priority was to enhance the use of outdoor courtyard space. To achieve this, the design leveraged floor-to-ceiling glass walls in the interior café space adjacent to the courtyard, and added a robust outdoor canopy to provide shelter from the harsh desert sun. Gabion walls surround the courtyard to give a natural and layered enclosure utilizing an array of local rock varieties. Diamond-shaped planters mimic dried and cracking desert soil accented with native grasses to create privacy “pockets” for individual relaxation or work.