Dexas International

The Dexas International Building, a single-story facility, houses the research, design and manufacturing workplace for a manufacturer of office and home organization products. The facility sits on a 12-acre tract of irregularly shaped land, which is located in an industrial park. The challenge was to utilize cost-effective construction techniques to create a design solution that reflected the client’s reputation as a progressive, innovative company.

One aspect that sets the building apart from surrounding structures is the unique approach to breaking down the scale of the large monolithic elements. To accomplish this, the team utilized panels of varying concrete thicknesses within individual panels. Load-bearing site-cast Tilt-Up concrete panels were used as the primary structural system.

The architectural vocabulary expresses the panelized nature of the building’s structural system, creating a distinctive identity for the client. The architect sought to maintain the expression of Tilt-Up panels as structured elements on the interior of the project by keeping panels exposed (where they would otherwise be furred) in lieu of drywall partitions. In addition, exposed concrete surfaces were partially clad in insulated drywall to improve energy efficiency.

Unlike typical planning strategies for buildings of this type, offices were located at the “rear” of the property, taking advantage of views of a heavily wooded area. The building maximizes space, while providing generous loading aprons and employee parking areas. Trees and walled gardens also screen undesirable views of parking and loading docks on the adjacent property. At the front of the new headquarters, designers created a separate entrance to allow for a distinct identity for the occupants of a 40,000-square-foot lease space.