A trip to a Social Security Administration Facility is typically a dreary experience that unfortunately is often housed in a substandard building. It was our goal to reverse this precedent and provide both employee and customer an uplifting space to interact and transact within.
This project, just outside of San Diego, transforms a 1970’s roller skating rink building with 100’ clear span bowstring trusses into a state of the art facility with a goal of maintaining the openness and uniqueness of the existing structure. This approach took much effort to convince the General Administration Services to embrace the existing qualities of the building to create naturally lit, inspiring space in lieu of the standard low, lay-in ceiling standard for this building type. A portion of the front of the existing building was cut away to make space for additional parking which allowed a full elevation of the steel bowstring truss to be exposed with north facing glass. A honed masonry façade is laid horizontally just under this curving glass with vertical punched windows to contrast with the lightness of the glass and truss work above. Inside the interiors are kept simple to allow natural light to be the predominate design element of the facility.
The final product is a high quality, healthy environment that successfully provides every demographic of the local community the chance to transact their personal business in an inspiring and democratic space.
