Corporate Office Building Design for Perceptive Software

GBA was commissioned to provide complete architecture design services for the three-story Perceptive Software, Inc. corporate headquarters office building. The building features more than 102,000 SF and is packed with features aimed at increasing employee satisfaction and retention while maintaining an efficient building shell that may be easily converted to a multi-tenant operation.

Project Scope

The building’s structural system uses load bearing pre-stressed precast panels clad with brick and limestone. These elements allow for a column free perimeter, supporting all floor and roof beams while providing a cost effective and aesthetically pleasing exterior. The HVAC system is a looped duct system with variable air volume. This system allows building occupants to maintain a high level of control over their individual work spaces while benefiting the building’s owner with a more efficient heating and cooling system. The system’s ability to alternate loads on the building’s three roof top units also benefits the owner with a longer expected lifespan on the equipment.

During off hours, the building’s lighting and HVAC controls are linked to the security system to automate the powering of lights and mechanical systems to the employee’s specifically assigned zones.  This system is activated whenever the employee swipes his or her employee identification card. Power to the building is backed-up with a diesel powered emergency generator that has the capacity to power all building systems in the event of a power outage upstream from the facility.

Design Elements

• Main level café with full-service espresso bar, comfortable seating, and media tables with power and networking capabilities.
• Large patio along south elevation with fire pit.
• Spiral slide connecting first and second levels.
• Health facilities: exercise room, dodge ball court, bouldering course.
• Men’s and women’s locker rooms with showers.
• Two exterior balconies on the second and third floors overlook the west end of the mixed-use office park.

The basement houses PSI’s information technology department and health facilities. An exercise room, an area dedicated for dodge ball, and even a bouldering course (similar to a rock-climbing wall) are all planned in the basement.  Full size men’s and women’s locker rooms with showers are included in the design.

Other elements that will benefit employees include a main level café with a full-service espresso bar. Project also contains comfortable seating and media tables with power and networking capabilities. These allow employees to conduct impromptu meetings. A large patio along the south elevation of the building gives occupants the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and offers a fire pit for cook-outs. A spiral slide connects the first and second levels. This allows second floor employees quick access to the café area. The second and third floors each have two exterior balconies that overlook the west end of the mixed-use office park.