CASTLE STREET
MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT
Colombo, Sri Lanka – This mixed-use project includes 500 upmarket condominiums, 100 moderate income apartments, a shopping center, street retail, and a parking garage. SKB International worked as the developer, architect, and construction manager for the complex, which is the largest project of this type in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan government suggested the site and worked with SKB to assemble the entire property as part of a large scale urban redevelopment vision. This specific site is key to the outward development between the old, congested city center and the more expansive Parliament House area. The Sri Lankan government wishes to see this project as an economic anchor to spark further development along Parliament Road, where the government is planning additional government office buildings and new housing.
Central to the condominium tower design is a new concept where individuals purchase two-story lofts which have utilities and a consistent footprint size. People can buy as many loft locks as they wish, and they can be built to match one of the dozens of available model designs or customized to their own needs. This gives buyers infinite flexibility and allows the unit sales to adjust to changes in the market.
THE WORLD BANK, BANGLADESH
Dhaka, Bangladesh – The World Bank’s office in Dhaka, Bangladesh is located in the northeast sector of the Dhaka near the National Parliament House. The program includes a conference center, offices, underground parking garage, library, and fitness center.
The World Bank’s commitment to bringing new technology together with local trades resulted in a building design that was entirely unique for this city of over 10 million people. It is really two buildings: one that relates to the political boundaries of the site and one that relates to the strong natural features and environment.
The traditional concrete frame and masonry in fill building envelope are oriented to the street and political boundary grid. The southern property line of the building aligns to a true east-west axis and the curtainwall part of the building aligns with this grid. Because sun control is extremely important in this region, the curtainwall is protected by an aluminum sunscreen which filters and diffuses natural daylight into the building. The round atrium also brings filtered daylight into the center of the building.
Additional energy-saving and sustainable building techniques were incorporated into the design of the mechanical system, lighting and energy management, selection of building materials, and site planning.
THE WORLD BANK, MADAGASCAR
Antananarivo, Madagascar – SKB has been working continuously with the World Bank in order to disperse the Bank’s management throughout the world. Towards this end, there has been a building boom of small and medium-size base building and interior design projects for the World Bank globally.
The World Bank has looked to SKB to maintain a high level of design while being extremely sensitive to local building techniques and traditions. At the same time, it is essential that cutting-edge office technology is incorporated to keep the bank staff completely linked with the World Bank missions around the globe.
In Madagascar, SKB designed a completely new building to serve as a regional mission where staff can manage projects in the western Indian Ocean.
Working closely with local architects, SKB developed a design that fully takes advantage of existing construction techniques while providing a Class A office building for the Bank’s staff in this developing country.
CLIENT HEADQUARTERS
Abu Dhabi, UAE – A prominent developer in the Middle East asked SKB to prepare some concepts for their new headquarters on a site in downtown Abu Dhabi. The client hoped that this project would stimulate revitalization of the older part of downtown, which had a stock of buildings of uneven quality and inconsistent zoning.
SKB took the opportunity to explore two approaches to constructing a glass building. The first was the usage of glass within a frame. The frame, made of polished stainless steel, begins to take on the
characteristics of the glass. In the articulated bays, the glass, which steps in and out to create bay windows, begins to take on the characteristics of a structural wall system.
The second approach was a meditation on the transmission of light and reflective qualities of glass. The abstract footprint creates the illusion of two glass forms – one bronze and one made of fritted glass – which fold in, on, and around each other. The urban idea was to start a precedent where functional, sculptural forms interact with the older office buildings. The existing high quality buildings would remain and stand apart form the abstract glass buildings while the lesser quality buildings would be torn down and replaced.
XEROX DOCUMENT UNIVERSITY
Leesburg, Virginia, USA – This project includes a 140,000 sf multi-purpose building and a renovation to the 1,100,000 sf Xerox Training & Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia. Set atop a secluded hill overlooking the Potomac River, the site required a unique design to address several key objectives:
- Retain a sense of retreat despite intense environment.
- Respond appropriately to existing structures.
- Accommodate several programs (offices, classrooms,
warehouses) within one campus.
The pavilion is a beacon that marks the new center of the complex; its classic use of form and light link, yet hold apart, the other buildings on campus. Glass and steel structures rise out of the cast-in-place concrete base, expressing the variety of functions within. A series of copper roof-forms provides a dramatic silhouette that mirrors the Virginia countryside.
BANK OF BURUNDI
Bujumbura, Burundi – After completing Projects in Burundi and Rwanda for the World Bank, SKB was invited to submit a proposal for a new headquarters for Bancobu, the national bank of Burundi.
The building is located on a central city square where three main roads converge. Bancobu wanted the building to include a community forum available to the entire public. The other requirements included an underground parking garage, commercial office space and residential apartments.
The eleven story tower holds a community conference center on the ground, leasable commercial offices on the second through fifth floors, administrative offices for Bancobu on the sixth and seventh floors and the apartments on the remaining floors. The branch bank function is in the one story building with its own surface parking lot.
STEPTOE & JOHNSON PLLC HEADQUARTERS
Bridgeport, West Virginia, USA – The law firm of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC retained SKB to design a new build-to-suit headquarters building for their home office in West Virginia. The move from downtown Clarksburg to a new office park in Bridgeport was spurred by the development of a new FBI evidence complex and regional hospital center. Serving as a symbol of West Virginia’s economic growth, the new building sits picturesquely on a hill with commanding views of the region.
Steptoe & Johnson’s new offices are intended to respect its tradition as a stalwart in the region and to look forward to their next generation. The building will include offices for 70 attorneys; a conference center; a data center serving all of Steptoe & Johnson’s offices in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky; a library; and associated support spaces.
Due to SKB’s intimate knowledge of law firm design and experience with base building, Steptoe & Johnson has been able to streamline the design process and minimize construction costs while maintaining a high quality building inside and out that befits a law firm of this stature.
DEMERARA DISTILLERY HEADQUARTERS
Georgetown, Guyana – Demerara Distilleries retained an international developer to create a new headquarters and mixed use development south of Georgetown, Guyana.
SKB created 11 different designs for the headquarters building, exploring various constriction typologies from mass timber to brutalist concrete. Guyana is experiencing rapid growth since oil was discovered offshore, and each design pursues sustainable technologies to have a net zero building with on-site sanitary water treatment, solar panels to provide 100% of the power needed for the building and rainwater harvesting for potable and service water.
APU MOUNTAIN
ECO-RESORT
Lima, Peru – The planners and architects were also the developers of this boutique hotel built into the top of a mountain with panoramic views of Lima, Peru. The project was located in an underdeveloped part of the capital city and the concept involved relying primarily on materials excavated from the site. The project provided construction jobs for the local unemployed and ongoing employment ton operate and maintain the facility.
The complex relies on simple and effective sustainable design principals to heat and cool the interiors naturally and light all public spaces with daylight.
CONFIDENTIAL CLIENT
Sunnyvale, California, USA - CONFIDENTIAL CLIENT is an American multinational technology company founded in 1998 in Menlo Park, California which specializes in Internet-related services and products. These include online advertising technologies, search, cloud computing, and software.
SKB designed a new welcome center and product demonstration facility for the client’s major international corporate clients to come discuss product development needs and to try out bespoke product and software.
The facility includes numerous formal and informal gathering spaces that accommodate all types of demonstrations from lectures and video presentations to virtual reality demonstrations where the customer can experience the product or software.
LAS LAGUNAS DE PUERTO VIEJO
Lima, Peru – Las Lagunas is a beach resort located at the edge of the Peruvian desert, consisting of over 60 single family residential units, two multi-family low-rise apartment buildings, a beach club, a tennis club and central recreational facility.
The design team was responsible for the planning, new road and infrastructure system, new waterways, community buildings, apartment buildings and model home design and construction.
GOLDEN PALACE
MIXED USE COMPLEX
Lima, Peru – Vista Del Complejo is a major mixed use architectural and urban design project located on Ave. Republica de Panama in Lima, Peru. The building complex consists of 3 high rise hotel and residential towers plus a low-rise conference center, retail and public parking.
The scope of services included the full master planning, civil engineering, zoning approval and architectural design services.
HOTEL TOWER: 27 floors, 250 units, 37,800 m2
OFFICE TOWER: 28 floors, 34,800 m2
CASINO: 7,500 m2
RETAIL: 8,000 m2
CONVENTION: 4,000 m2
PARKING: 1,920 spaces below grade, 980 above grade
TOTAL BUILT OUT AREA: 92,600 m2
STROOCK STROOCK & LAVAN
Washington, DC - Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, is a law firm providing transactional, regulatory and litigation guidance to leading financial institutions, multinational corporations, investment funds and entrepreneurs in the U.S. and abroad. With a rich history dating back 140 years, the firm has offices in New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and Miami.
The design strategy was to place two objects on a white marble floor – the onyx reception desk and the seating group – with the firm’s trademark oak as paneling behind the receptionist and the reflective chrome detailing defining frames on the other two main elevations. Glass, sculpted and flat, provide enough detail to break the space into layers allowing different people to sit in the conference rooms and reception area without the feeling they are intruding on each other. The Stroock trademark red is used to anchor vistas in the large conference room.
BLOOMBERG BNA
Arlington, Virginia, USA - This project is part of a multi-phase larger project to transform the offices of a venerable data and analysis company so that it aligns with the philosophy of its new well-known parent company.
The parent company has no private offices, even for its highest executives. All meeting and conference rooms are transparent. SKB faced the challenge of designing an extremely high quality space with a low budget in a Class B+ building that had low ceilings was only increased because the existing staff were used to private offices and seclusion.
The design strategy was to take the parent company’s “one large room” standard and insert translucent elements – colored glass conference rooms, channel glass screen walls, laser-cut acrylic and glass screens, and a fish tank – placed in an orderly manner to keep the feeling of openness and transparency while providing a sense of scale and intimacy to the various sections of the plan.
The building core is articulated by the original company’s trademark blue in the elevator lobby and other openings, signifying that the core of the space is the original company. The parent company’s monitors are placed on channel glass screens facing the core. The conference rooms are organized in two large colored blocks on either side of the floor plate, breaking up the floor into smaller spaces while maintaining the sense of openness and connection desired by the parent company.
SHEPPARD MULLIN LLP
Washington, DC, USA - Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton is a growing worldwide law firm, based in Los Angeles that was evaluating the real estate needs for their Washington D.C. office. Sheppard Mullin selected SKB to join their team in the search for a new location that would reflect the firm’s rising prominence in D.C. For over ten years as the firm grew its D.C. office, they occupied second generation space that felt dark, dated and did not represent the image of a highly intellectual, progressively minded law practice. It was time for a change that would bolster Sheppard Mullin’s D.C. image and their ability to attract the best talent.
Sheppard Mullin desired a space that would build upon their brand and enhance their image and stature in Washington D.C. To that end, SKB designed a space that located the main reception and conference center on the first floor with a glass entry that further reinforced Sheppard Mullin’s presence in the building. The reception/conference center area is designed to act as an impressive meeting space for clients and to also serve as an event space for firm functions. Tennessee pink marble flooring from the main building lobby continues into the reception area and is complimented by a sycamore paneled wall that anchors the space.
A cast glass sculptural wall element ensures that privacy is maintained in the adjacent boardroom. SKB designed an illuminated ceiling system that floods the space with light to overcome the absence of natural light in the reception area.
VORYS SATER SEYMOUR & PEASE
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA - Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP is a leading law firm in Ohio, with offices in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. The firm has major practice groups for antitrust, corporate, real estate and finance, energy, environmental, health care, IP, labor, litigation, tax, and trust areas.
Vorys retained SKB to design its Cincinnati office in a new trophy highrise building overlooking the Ohio River. Firm management was looking to have extremely efficient office space that incorporated the latest design trends while remaining flexible for change in the future. Management was also concerned that spreading the firm over three stories might discourage interaction and collaboration among professionals.
The final design features an open, three-story stair in the center of the floor plate with the main reception and conference center on the middle floor, bringing attorneys and staff together for meeting and public functions.
The secretarial station blocks incorporate signing, storage, printing, filing, and secretarial areas. While these blocks appear to be custom millwork, they are in fact made from furniture manufacturer’s casework components and can be quickly knocked down and relocated.
