Axle Logistics

This project called for the renovation and partial restoration of a nearly 100-year-old existing building to create a corporate headquarters for a local trucking logistics company experiencing rapid growth.

The building, a former indoor car dealership and service center, sits on an urban site that had experienced years of decay prior to our design work starting. The structure, which had been vacant for several years and damaged by a series of fires, required a thorough analysis to determine the amount of existing building that could be reused and repurposed in the design. The existing structural conditions of the exterior walls, floor and roof deck, and other miscellaneous building elements directly impacted the renovation work and served as an ongoing constraint that was taken into consideration for all design decisions.

The program for the new headquarters called for a ground floor with a mix of amenities and social spaces to help project a sense of team building and serve as the public face of the building to guests and new potential clients.

Open office space fills the majority of the second level of the building with all secondary program elements like conference rooms, break areas, executive offices, and restrooms being placed in a long “bar” in the middle of the volume. The concept of the programmed bar bisecting the open space is inspired by the proportions of a tractor trailer, something that pays homage to the client’s corporate identity.

Despite the many abuses the building had endured, the exterior brick was in remarkably good condition. Because of this, careful restraint was taken to allow historic architectural elements on the building to remain, especially along the primary façade. One exception where a new element was added to the exterior is along the side façade where the “bar” is expressed on the outside of the building as a metal skin. This projected volume and material change highlights the new corporate entrance to the offices on the street below.

Lastly, through a blend of subtle and deliberate design decisions the front portion of the ground floor offices can easily transition to future retail spaces with little impact on the client’s business operations. By moving the main entrance to the side of the building and placing secondary entry doors along the original primary façade any future retail could move into the building seamlessly and provide a public amenity to enhance the growing neighborhood.

Framework for Design Excellence