Towers @ 2nd

A Silicon Valley complex is rejuvenated for high-tech companies

The project rejuvenates an outdated development composed of two existing high-rise towers that total 500,000 square feet of office space. Intended to attract tech-based companies in the Silicon Valley, the design introduces new indoor and outdoor amenities that appeal to young professionals’ urban workplace/lifestyle culture.

The building entry features glazed canopies to create a visual connection between the downtown urban streetscape and the newly modernized lobby. Interior improvements support the workspace expectations of the “collaboration generation” and include a fitness center, bike storage, nourishment center, gamer’s room, VIP lounge, informal social spaces and access to an alternative transit station.

The two office towers are separated by a sunken courtyard rebranded as “The Underground,” a key project component. This exclusive lower level features a plug-in space for rotating pop-up restaurants. Tiered, built-in wood benches mix with vibrantly colored outdoor seating that appears more like randomly placed artwork than furniture. Full, mature trees and terraced planters make the space comfortable and inviting.

Lighting plays an essential role both inside and out. The interior lounge features whimsical drum-sized pendants, while corridors have a streamlined look that uses recessed linear LEDs. At the courtyard, extended tree branches support pendant fixtures that emit a soft white glow. The tree base are encased by wood seating platforms, their lowest edges backlit to make them appear to float.