Text description provided by the architects. A developer wanted to design a speculative office building in Johnson County to attract high-tech companies. Standing in stark contrast to the beige, small-windowed, mansard-roofed professional buildings that are the norm in this part of suburban Kansas City, the 18,000 square-foot, two-story office building has a simple, rectangular floor plan within a concrete structure that features an all glass enclosure with a carefully positioned exterior perforated metal scrim system that helps regulate heat gain throughout the year.
To the south, panels run parallel to the windows, removed at strategic locations (hallways, doorways) to open views across the entire interior floor plan. To the east and west, panels take the form of angled vertical louvers, their spacing varied according to shading needs of the rooms inside.
The north is mostly open. A steel frame awning covers the building entry and shades an outdoor patio.
The façade also facilitates a visual connection to a lush exterior landscaping package. This makes for an improved work environment and, as studies have shown, greater alacrity and higher productivity among office workers.
