Client
Oxford Court Limited Partnership

Scope
New Construction, Code Evaluation, Programming, Full Architectural Services (1988)

Seismic Upgrade (2002)

Cost
$2.1 million

Completed
1988, 2002

Oxford Court, four floors plus loft, has a courtyard at the second level to allow day-lighting, natural ventilation and other amenities for office or retail rental space. Rental spaces of 500 to 2500 sq. ft. target use flexibility as well as appro-priate size for natural lighting and ventilation. The courtyard permits skylighting of street-level retail spaces and provides an ‘outdoor lobby’ and greenery views for second, third and fourth levels.

Street and courtyard elevations combine design elements of scale and materials seen in neighboring structures. Lot-line stucco walls are currently visible but are likely to be obscured by future construction, are treated with lineation and color. Standard elements, including industrial sash windows, metal roofing, and expansion joints in stucco walls, perform design functions while limiting cost of materials and construction. Energy is conserved through solar water heating system and design to maximize use of daylight and natural ventilation.

In 2002, we have been invited to work with owner/client Berkeley Commercial Property Development to fully maximize seismic strength for Oxford Court with the latest in seismic technology. Before beginning the project, we interviewed each tenant to learn their schedules and sensitivities to disruption during construction. With this information at hand, we are able to relocate each tenant in turn and work on individual offices according to the tenants' preferred schedules, a substantial reduction in time than if the building were vacated as a whole.