Charles Schwab Executive Relocation Project
DPR Construction Inc.
Setting a new standard for collaboration, the efforts between owner, designers and builder achieved an extraordinary outcome on a very special project.
Charles Schwab and Company Inc. rewarded DPR for their flawless delivery of 700,000 sq. ft of interior office space by selecting them to build a world class headquarters office for their executives at the prestigious 120 Kearny Street Building in downtown San Francisco.
The project marked the true pinnacle of a "one of a kind" restack project where over 5,000 employees were realigned and moved on a weekly basis over a 24-month period. Early in 1996 Schwab found their real estate portfolio compressed. To respond to one of history's most expanding bull markets, they needed to procure a half million square feet of new space to accommodate a rapidly growing business.
There were times during the restack where six to eight weeks in a row, 300 Schwab employees shut down operation on a Friday and resumed business in a newly constructed and punchlist-free space the following Monday. The sequencing and coordination of design, construction, furniture systems, technology and the actual move were coordinated by DPR.
The executive space on two adjacent combination private and open office floors was carefully planned and constructed over a one-year period. Every inch of the 40,000 sq. ft was highlighted with custom materials and complex architectural assemblies that required detailed planning and continuous collaboration between a myriad of high performing team members.
To capture the inherent and financially secure background of the Schwab organization, Gensler, the architect, approached the programming and design with a team of experienced professionals including Art Gensler himself. Schwab requested a state-of-the-art facility that would be flexible and accessible for the executive team. The design needed to reflect their strength as a business with both quality and friendliness, avoiding a typical investment-banking image.
Design Features
The executive boardroom is strategically located with a panoramic view of the Bay Area eastern skyline. To provide flexibility and allow for a much-needed after-hours internal and external event space, a full-height operable leather paneled wall separates the boardroom and reception area. The multi-use boardroom has rear view projection, video conferencing, movable tables and an adjacent catering kitchen with pass- through food service. This multiplicity of uses allows for a variety of day and evening events. A large video conferencing room and satellite meeting areas are also provided and equipped with movable tables designed for both technology use and traditional meetings. Obscure glass is used in private offices and conference rooms, letting in daylight while providing privacy.
Circulation spaces are left wider than normal for additional privacy in both private offices and administrative assistant stations.
Anchoring the plan is a central stair encased in glass that encourages easy interaction for executives between floors. The stair itself is a light element of limestone treads and risers, with stringers encased in wood complementing polished steel curved rails and elliptically shaped posts. The posts also act as supports for the full-height clear glass. Full-height wood file walls flank both sides of the stairwell.
Breathtaking picturesque views dominate the perimeter executive offices, all highlighted with custom designed and finished Halcon furniture systems. Multi-shaped ceilings house over twenty-five types of custom lighting fixtures that highlight walls clad in Italian plaster, mahogany, ash, cherry, Benheim glass, and custom fabrics.
Scheduling Process
Often a construction project can be scheduled with a monthly master schedule and weekly updates are provided by rolling three-week schedules. In an effort to exceed expectations and achieve the desired results, DPR questioned whether standard construction scheduling would meet the goals of the Schwab Executive Project. Due to the complexity of design and material assembly at each design feature, DPR developed starting points and workflow for each feature of the project. To complete the Schwab Executive Project on time, DPR developed and managed over 30 independent and separately sequenced schedules, all tied to an overall master schedule. By separately scheduling several aspects of the project, DPR was also able to efficiently integrate scope revisions and design adjustments during construction. The key in managing the effort was thorough and timely communication to every subcontractor and vendor on the project. The schedule coordination extended beyond DPR's scope to include all aspects of the project including telecommunications, furniture and the actual executive move process.
Project Management/ Budget Control
Schwab relied on DPR's expertise to assist in steering the overall project success by holding the DPR project team accountable for the physical and financial performance of all project team members. DPR coordinated security, audio/visual, furniture, and technology efforts throughout the design and implementation stage of the project. Management of the overall project budget resulted in a project cost at completion that was much less than anticipated.
Collaboration at its Best
DPR's superintendent and management team worked closely with local millworkers, glaziers and stone setters early to develop construction assembly details to meet the vision and goals of the Gensler design team. Brainstorming sessions, which began with a Gensler design vision and concept, concluded with hand-drawn sketches and intricate details, followed by the construction of on-site mock-ups that received buy-in from the Schwab and Gensler team members prior to mass production and installation. Millwork components, intricate reveal patterns, custom door jambs, glazing components, video conferencing and communication walls, drapery pockets, and linear slot diffuser assemblies were examples of features and components that achieved extraordinary results from true collaboration among high performing team members.
