PM Realty Headquarters
Houston, Texas
The new 30,000-square-foot headquarters for a real estate firm is visible once a visitor steps into the elevator lobby on the 24th floor. Instead of creating a traditional threshold, the design leverages the existing granite-clad elevator core and draws its space and material into the reception area and through the main waiting lobby (back-dropped by a floor-to-ceiling view of the Houston skyline). Architectural elements are minimized in this space to accentuate the connectivity between the existing lobby and the new office.
To soften the modern lines of the space and furniture, the design employs a more traditional palette of hardwood veneers and leather to add warmth to the space. Conference rooms, hallways and shared public workstations at the offices interior are extensions of this design approach. While the space is divided into public and private, there was a strong desire to avoid the creation of a "back of house."