Koll Airport Professional Center

Updated office suites revive an outmoded industrial space

LPA transformed a two-story, 62,000-square-foot, underperforming industrial building near John Wayne Airport into 40,000 square feet of modern office condominiums for sale, with underground parking.

Part of the Irvine Business Complex, the design rehabilitated what had been a 1980s energy hog into a LEED Silver exemplar of sustainability. The project is organized around a series of shaded entry courts, allowing access to the individual units and maximizing their exposure to natural daylight. Louvered canopies, vertical and horizontal sunshades, and deeply set windows help minimize the building's solar heat gain. Three-quarters of existing exterior walls and structural elements were salvaged and reused, while low-flow plumbing fixtures and an efficient irrigation system were installed to save water.

The design includes high-efficiency HVAC units and lighting, a high-performance building envelope and materials high in recycled content to meet sustainability goals, while creating an enticing office complex for the owner’s clients.