About the project

PFB was invited to a design competition for the new Jabil Circuits Corporate Headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida. Jabil Circuits, a Fortune 500 company, pursued design options to create a new flagship corporate office and research and development laboratory at a prominent downtown location. PFB, along with KaziaLi Design Collaborative, ventured to create a state-of-the-art building that embodies the cutting-edge research conducted by Jabil Circuits along with the history and character of St. Petersburg.

The building site, located one block west of scenic Tampa Bay, offers unique opportunities and dramatic views to the east. Perched above an existing 8-story parking deck, the new tower embodies imagery of the wave and the sail, both fundamentally tied to the history of this 120 year old port city. This concept is brought to life in three design options that provided Jabil with the flexibility to choose their corporate identity.

Option one is clean, conservative curtainwall with various shades of blue glazing. The change in color creates variation and interest in the facade and visually connects with the ever changing visual of the bay.

The facade articulation of the curtain wall in Option Two references the mast and sail of the tall ships that once dominated the bay. The folding planes and exterior tensile structure dynamic movement in the facade and provides a bold statement for Jabil Circuits.

Option Three utilizes a scalloped roof line and progressively deepening mullion extensions to create the visual of the wave. The relatively simple building geometry becomes an undulating surface with texture light moving across the building facades. No two elevations are the same as the eye follows the waves around the building.

Interior planning strives to create a work environment that fosters idea creation and the sharing of knowledge. Studies were conducted to generate macro and micro collaboration spaces for both planned and unplanned group collaboration at various scales. Team gathering spaces, 2-story atria, intimate gardens, centralized and decentralized conferencing spaces and sea view lounges are placed within the flexible open office floor plate. The corporate office tower was planned for ultimate flexibility with differing scales of open and private offices spread across the floor plate.

Lab spaces on the first and second floors are planned around a module that provides support, equipment and office workstations directly accessible to the laboratories. 17’ floor to deck height on the Lab floors provide the unique opportunity to include a viewing mezzanine into laboratory spaces. This furthers Jabil’s corporate identity of transparency, education and collaboration within their research and development wing. Building amenities become another important programmatic element for employees and visitors alike.

A rooftop terrace, above the 8th parking level provides breathtaking views of the bay while creating a respite for the employees. Gardens, water features, covered and uncovered seating along with terraces provides various scaled spaces for individuals, group meetings, presentations, and conferences.

About the project

The Changhong International R&D Center in Chengdu, China is divided into 4 major program components: a class 5A office tower, a slab building with 5A offices and SOHO, a connecting podium to house a bank, convenience store, restaurant, employee cafeteria, and museum / exhibition space for Changhong.

The tower features a large balcony on each floor, and the plans were optimized to guarantee that regardless of the number of tenants per floor, all tenants have access to a shared indoor / outdoor lounge.

The slab building is designed to maximize layout flexibility. The 28 meter-deep bar with a 9 meter longitudinal bay allows for a 1.5 meter planning grid that can allow for many different office activities and bay configurations to take place. Closed offices, open office, conferencing, and core requirements are just a few of the possibilities.

Generally the 28 meter dimension is divided into 3 zones. The outer zones which obtain the best light are dedicated for main office activates. The central zone is dedicated as support, collaboration, core elements, and cross circulation.

The SOHO portion of the bar is divided in the same way but with a lesser core depth, allowing a deeper lease module. The lease module is flexible and can take on many functions and layouts.

Conceptually, the architecture was designed to reference Changhong's history. TV and electronic technology has always been at the forefront of the digital era, and the tower design reflects that with an international digitalized elevation. Varying glass transparencies and stainless steel frames provides an array of color changes under different light.

The layout of the site uses both western and feng shui techniques. The architecture curves round forming two open arms that gesture to welcome guests from all around the world. The buildings are arranged around a plaza, creating an attractive, pleasant environment.

About the project

After winning an international competition, we were tasked by the DaShang Group to create a mixed-use development - a city plaza - in the heart of Yantai, China. Located in the Zhifu District’s prime commercial corridor, and nestled between the train and bus stations, this site welcomes a never-ending flow of local and tourist pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Where better to create a one-stop commercial and residential lifestyle destination, offering something for all ages, in all weather, at all times?

Given Yantai's seafaring history, our design concept evolved into a modern-day Sea Silk Road. The winding current of active and engaging commercial routes lead to destination points – bazaars – for trade and cultural exchange, creating a rich and dynamic environment. Open and inviting commercial corridors around the shopping mall and outdoor retail flow into the central “bazaar” square, a natural destination area for the coming together of the community, inviting leisurely social and cultural exchange. The planned distribution of active and calm destination hubs along the routes are designed to extend travelers’ time within the commercial street.

Programmatically, the mixed-use development offers a large shopping mall, supermarket, cinema, pedestrian retail streets, condominiums, apartments, two hotels, a community center, and a police station, as well as expansive green spaces at grade and on rooftop gardens. The development also has parking for over 3200 vehicles and 7200 bicycles.

About the project

Moxiu Technology was rapidly outgrowing their existing headquarters in a high-rise office tower, and requested our assistance with a gut renovation of a 3-story building originally designed for retail.

This project included the design of an expansive ground floor lobby and reception / entertainment area with a bistro and multipurpose conference rooms, outfitted with moveable partitions to expand and contract based on needs. The second floor houses the research and development team in an open-office environment with breakout spaces, phone rooms, and a central garden, and the executives are on the third floor in private offices with conferencing spaces around a central garden.

On the exterior, the roof was upgraded with stair access and an enclosed chef’s kitchen which opens onto a landscaped deck and basketball court. Finally, the facade was completely replaced from a bland red tile to an undulating, modern design to represent their brand.

We were able to meet Moxiu's demanding 3-month design schedule, further challenged by the necessary approvals of the building's landlord, adjacent residential homeowners' association, and Chaoyang District leadership prior to exterior renovations.

With their new headquarters, designed for expansion, in the heart of a bustling Beijing district, Moxiu Technology is poised to make their next leap forward.

About the project

A private developer was interested in planning for site opportunities for a Chicago hotel. We worked with the client to conceive a design that could be equally at home on a site downtown or in an up-and-coming neighborhood.

The 3-story, 95,600 SF glass-enclosed public and retail podium serves as the tower’s main entry, and includes retail, hotel convention center, and interior public space, capped off with a 21,620 SF landscaped roof garden overlooking the city. The 315,000 SF tower boasts a 5-star, 500-room hotel spanning 20 floors, with an observation restaurant and bar on the 30^th.

The sustainably-focused development hits many “green” points, as in either location it’s sited in a dense, urban area with proximity to (or located within) downtown and major transportation nodes. Constructing on a previously developed site in a dense community channels development to urban areas with existing infrastructure and preserves natural resources, while locating the project within ½ mile of existing public transportation reduces pollution and land development impacts from automobile use.

The development is designed as a structural hybrid, with a concrete core and steel-framed tower. It features storm water harvesting to reduce demand on municipal water systems, which could reduce the amount of HVAC process water by as much as 15% compared to a typical building. In addition to providing panoramic city views, the landscaped roof garden utilizes native and adaptive plantings to reduce the heat island effect and minimize the impact on the micro climate while also reducing storm water run-off. As much as 30% water reduction can be achieved by utilizing low-flow and dual-flush plumbing fixtures, and the combination of low-flow fixtures, storm water reuse, and the reduction of irrigation water can result in a domestic water usage reduction of 60% as compared to a typical tower.

Whether on the edge of or in the heart of downtown, this mixed-use development opportunity is a winning combination.

About the project

Designed in conjunction with KaziaLi Design Collaborative, the Green Axis City Innovation Hub is an integrated mixed-use development in an area the city government has slated for drawing and nurturing local and international talent. Programmatically, the design calls for a district which offers shopping, cultural entertainment, business offices, incubator spaces, star-rated hotels, high-quality apartments, and generous public areas. The design must also take into consideration traffic - pedestrian and vehicle - from this site to the adjacent complexes within the Taihu New City District, as well as expressing a natural, ecological experience within the bounds of this high-tech innovation zone.

We separated the program into three functional areas: collaborative work, private amenities, and interactive environments, and expressed the division of those functions through the thoughtful planning of public space, circulation, and connectivity, creating an International Innovation Hub which is both people-driven and environmentally sustainable.

About the project

EHANG, an intelligent aerial vehicles technology company, had a very detailed, clear direction for the usage of their two-floor space at the top of a converted warehouse building in Guangzhou. The 4^th floor program required reception, showroom, large conference rooms, meeting rooms, independent offices, open work areas, a lunch / tea room, and leisure and entertainment areas. The 5^th floor program requirements were similar, with large conference rooms, meeting rooms, independent offices, open work areas, a cafeteria, and leisure and entertainment areas. Aesthetically, they were drawn to open planning, and wanted a hip, fun space appropriate for their young, innovative workforce.

With our design, the space is left mostly raw to inspire creativity and reduce costs, with carpeted zones for acoustics and comfort. Dark and light woods with punches of color - especially EHANG teal - enliven the otherwise white shell, and walls are adorned with graphic, inspirational images.

Lobby areas on both floors feature trees and seating along the curved window wall, creating a sunny and inviting first impression. An LED media wall between the round columns introduces EHANG to its guests and team in a high-tech manner befitting this cutting-edge firm. Pivot doors and movable partitions create scalable, multipurpose areas which bookend the space. To the east, the showroom, reception, and boardroom(s) can be used separately or as a single sweeping function area. To the west, the break room can expand from half a column bay, to a full bay, to across the open discussion area into the bar / lounge zone.

A diverse selection of enclosed rooms are scattered throughout the space. Glass-enclosed rooms along the windows at the four corners can be furnished as executive offices or conference rooms, depending on shifting company needs. Centered between the open office work zones to the north is a networked classroom / lecture hall with tiered seating. Opposite, to the south, lies a well-stocked game room for decompression, and a tiered cinema / lounge room that can be used for entertainment or informal meetings. The central spine hosts enclosed meeting, support, and office rooms, punctuated by a variety of teaming and discussion zones. All meeting spaces have fully-networked media walls.

Dynamic open office spaces lets employees decide how and where they want to work. Natural light floods the space from expansive windows, and traditional work areas line the perimeter, available in two teaming styles: row desks and GHOST pods. For laptop users or impromptu team meetings, the GHOST pods feature central mini conference tables and also offer raised bar seating, while the row desks end with a 4-seat half-round. The open office workstations are separated by small breakout discussion zones wrapping private quiet / phone rooms.

Synergistic macro collaboration spaces keep the firm connected. Two-story atria connect the 4^th and 5^th floors with communicating stairs and conferencing, encouraging interactions throughout the firm (and air space for drone flights!). The grand stair is also multifunctional: stadium seating and an adjacent two-story projection wall provide a central location for company-wide announcements and presentations. Teaming and breakout areas foster collaboration and free-flowing creativity. Lounge-style areas add additional dimension to the workflow offerings, and central teaming areas - as well as the break room - feature dry-erase doors for brainstorming sessions.

About the project

Thanks to the technological advancement of the internet, trading activities which were once reserved for backroom deals and negotiations with major players are now available to the largest and smallest factories and consumers, thanks in part to the service offerings of Alibaba Group and its subsidiaries.

The tower design celebrates Alibaba’s place in the digital era with an international digitalized elevation. Frit glass with multiple levels of transparency and stainless steel frames provides an array of color changes under different light, and reflects the transparency and connectivity of The Alibaba Group. Alibaba – through digitization – is changing industry and human life all over the world.

By using highly-efficient, energy-saving architectural materials and equipment, we can decrease the buildings’ energy consumption. A green roof system provides thermal insulation, lessening HVAC load. Rain- and greywater recycling systems reduce the costs of water for both plumbing and irrigation. Solar panels collect the sun’s energy both to heat water and reduce the buildings’ dependence on the National Grid. Integrated technologies offer both communicating retreat spaces and natural cooling. Just like Alibaba’s brand, this design is clever, comfortable, and cool.

About the project

The Tianshuigu Hot Spring Resort Village is located in Fuxin Province. The village slopes from the east to the west and consists of a hotel, hot springs spa, and luxury villas revolving around a lake, creating tranquil views and maintaining harmony with the environment. The roads were also designed to follow the terrain and merge peacefully with the landscape.

A lake-side winter garden connects the Conference Center, Lobby, Spa, and Hotel Buildings with a public concourse, including a fitness area, children’s club, billiard hall, beauty salon, cafes, a pool bar, and retail. The concourse also houses service functions along a separate corridor, linking service and support functions throughout the resort.

The resort offers a wide variety of function and meeting rooms, as well as several restaurant styles. An all-day dining restaurant offers indoor seating for 202 and outdoor seating overlooking the lake. The Chinese Restaurant seats 120 and has VIP rooms. In addition to several adjacent meeting rooms, which can be opened into a large single room, the Ballroom seats 288 for major functions.

A three-story lobby welcomes guests to the Resort. At the concourse level and ground floor, the lobby building connects the hotel buildings to the function halls.

The design revolves around sight lines – hotel bars are placed carefully to maximize views of the beautiful scenery of Fuxin Mountains, lakes, rivers, golf courses, and fields. This is resort is physical poetry.

About the project

This urban hotel complex includes a 5-star hotel and convention center, VIP villas, condominiums, a pre-school, and supporting retail. Sited on a tight plot of land, these programmatic requirements presented interesting challenges.

After carefully analyzing the site and its relationship with the surrounding area, we designed an architectural solution that is graceful and light. The project consists of north and south towers. The elevation of the towers is simple, yet maintains exquisite features. The vertical lines on the elevation create a distinct vision of the towers and illuminates at night. The design concept also brings the cost of building the project along with the buildings maintenance costs and the environment into consideration. The tower uses slab and air conditioner louver boards to separate the exterior glass equally. The design also avoids the expensive cost of large glass. The podium building uses varying materials on the wall to generate different depths of transparency and also colored class creating a modern, commercial environment.