800 Wilshire Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Project details
Client

Buro Happold

Architect

Buro Happold

Duration

Completed in 2013

Services provided by Buro Happold

Building Services Engineering (MEP), Energy consulting, Fire engineering, Health wellbeing and productivity, Lighting design, Structural engineering, Sustainability

Awards

Our Los Angeles office is a highly sustainable workspace that offers an exceptional environment for its employees. As well as providing a low energy and environmentally sustainable design, the office focuses on health and wellness, with spaces to ensure plenty of access to daylight and views.

Challenge

We designed an office fit out that would be a prime example of a highly sustainable office space, as well as being representative of how our different specialisms can combine their skills to offer exceptional solutions. A key element of the project was to improve the wellbeing of employees, creating a working space that was both energy efficient and a positive place to work.

Interior view of the Buro Happold LA office space, with seating and large windows on the left for plentiful access to daylight
100% of the office annual power is purchased in Renewable Energy credits. Image: Buro Happold

Solution

The office takes full advantage of its position on the top floor of the building, and is open plan to ensure all workstations have access to daylight and views of downtown and the Santa Monica mountains. Automatic shades and daylighting controls allow occupants to control levels of light in the space, while all windows have a solar film to reduce solar heat gain.

These solutions have resulted in a 43% reduction in lighting power density. Sustainable solutions include water fixtures that reduce water use by 36% over the baseline case, phase change materials to reduce heat gain, underfloor air displacement ventilation, onsite organic waste composting and the purchasing 100% of office’s annual electricity in Renewable Energy credits.

This LEED and WELL certified office is designed as a living laboratory, with systems being continually monitored to allow for ongoing adjustments to improve performance, and extensive ongoing post occupancy evaluation to ensure the health and wellbeing of its occupants.

Close-up of a table tennis table against a living green wall at the Buro Happold LA office
Biophilia and outdoor urban agriculture are key features in the health and wellness of employees. Image: Buro Happold

Value

Building off of its LEED v3 Platinum and LEED v4 Gold certifications, Buro Happold’s Los Angeles office achieved its WELL Certified™ Gold level rating by incorporating several exceptional features into the workplace environment. Filtered water is provided in the kitchen and in all showers to meet WELL’s stringent water standards such as organic and inorganic contaminants, public water additives and agricultural contaminants. Beautiful potted fruit trees and a vegetable and herb garden on the outdoor balconies achieved the optimization of providing 1ft2 of urban agriculture per workplace occupant, while also contributing to the Biophilic design of the office.

Image: Buro Happold
Blinds and lighting controls allow occupants to control levels of light in the space, while all windows have a solar film. Image: Buro Happold

Our team worked diligently with building management to ensure all cleaning products are Green Seal® certified for low VOCs and that air handling unit filters are replaced on a quarterly basis. We installed five AWAIR continuous environmental monitoring sensors throughout the space that regularly monitor air quality and thermal comfort and alert us when we need to make adjustments. Our lighting design team conducted both physical measurements and simulation testing to inform the need for additional lighting on the south side of the space to meet stringent circadian lighting requirements. Additionally, the office continues to provide healthy, nutritious foods, a weekly yoga class, standing desk options, and access to DeskCycles.

Committed to diversity and inclusion, Buro Happold also has a JUST label from the International Living Future Institute, a voluntary disclosure tool that also helped us achieve the WELL rating.

Buro Happold’s Los Angeles Office at 800 Wilshire Boulevard. Image: Buro Happold
Image: Buro Happold