Prefab Office HQ Design

The innovative work of James R. Meyer Architecture, combined with the many time-tested attributes of pre-engineered metal buildings from EcoSteel, has resulted in a head-turning design for an office building envisioned for a hilltop in Manhattan Beach.

The building, featuring a series of five glass-fronted, two-story components each standing beneath its own separate gable roof, was designed by architect James R. Meyer for EcoSteel with several thoughts in mind. “I wanted to do it with steel because of the cost, speed of assembly and other considerations,” Meyer said recently.

The design prioritized functionality in additional ways. For instance, the structure’s floor-to-roofline front windows beckon abundant natural light into the deepest recesses of the building’s interiors. The incorporation of light brown vertical wooden slats on the side and parts of the front of the structure imbue the building with a warm, natural feel. And the handsome dark grey steel cladding not only provides fire-resistance, durability and construction ease, but serves as an arresting counterpoint to the prominent windows.

Los Angeles-based architect Meyer is no stranger to the advantages of steel — including energy efficiency and long-term durability — that have long served as EcoSteel trademarks.

“I’ve known Joss Hudson and EcoSteel for some time now; we’ve built multiple projects together,” Meyer said, referring to a 1960s-era home of redwood tongue-and-groove siding that was deconstructed and rebuilt around a metal structure in Manhattan Beach, as well as a rebuild of a fire-ravaged residence north of the San Fernando Valley.

“Since then, we’ve worked on several projects,” Meyer continued. “We’ve designed a hotel project in Rancho Mirage, and we’re doing another fire rebuild (JOSS: He thinks in Montecito), as well as a food court in Redondo Beach. This is ready to be permitted with construction hopefully to be started this summer.”

Meantime, the Meyer-EcoSteel collaboration has delivered an office building design that, when constructed, should be a key selling point in any employer’s attempt to persuade staff to give up remote work and return to the office on a full-time basis.