ESPRIT CAM Creator DP Technology Expands Corporate Headquarters
In keeping with a trend of growth at its centers of business around the world, international computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) industry leader DP Technology, maker of ESPRIT®, is remodeling and expanding its corporate headquarters to better serve the needs of customers and staff.
In the midst of being redesigned with productivity, comfort, convenience and energy conservation in mind, DP's corporate headquarters is located in Ventura County, roughly 50 miles north of Los Angeles.
With the acquisition of an adjoining structure, the 12,000 square-foot building that has served as DP's headquarters since 1989 will undergo a complete reconstruction and be expanded to just under 20,000 square feet. This massive facelift will include the remodeling of all of the two adjoining buildings, resulting in a 70 percent increase in overall office space to create a more efficient and spacious working environment.
"The business and development offices of 15 to 20 years ago had large, centrally located spaces," said Bill Haas, DP's vice president of special projects. "Today's office and development environment requires the individual work station be almost completely self-sufficient, capable of handling laptops, multiple computers and multiple monitors."
The remodeled site will include triple the amount of space currently devoted to DP's research and development department, in addition to more than double the current amount of space devoted to specialized training - a must in light of DP's growing roster of technical instruction services. This space will also serve as an ideal locale to conduct group training classes, meetings and presentations.
Over the past two years, DP has expanded sales and support operations within and outside the United States. With new offices and increased sales and support in China and Europe, as well as expanded offices in Japan, the need for an overhaul of corporate headquarters became ever more apparent.
DP's goal with the structural and stylistic revamping of its headquarters is to bring the outdoors in - primarily by capitalizing on the qualities of natural light and designing an environment that includes tones lifted from nature's palette.
The addition of windows and the subtraction of inner walls -which will be replaced with half walls and half glass - will allow for the increased flow of natural light and a decrease in the use of artificial lighting. Existing lighting will be replaced with a modern, high-efficiency option.
Despite the building's notable increase in size, "our energy footprint will remain the same as it is now, due to the many energy-efficient equipment and design features being employed," Haas said.
Efforts to make the construction process "as green as possible," as well as to decrease energy use over time, Haas said, include the use of 100-percent recycled porcelain tile and the insulation of all internal walls.
The installation of electronic dampers in the air conditioning and heating system, waterless urinals, highly efficient non-traditional instant hot water heaters and a total of 400 rooftop solar panels are intended to decrease long-term energy dependency on non-renewal energy sources. According to Haas, the network of solar panels is capable of "providing 75 to 80 percent of our total electrical needs."
Designed by Pittman Group Architects of Camarillo, Calif., the project's principal architect, with interior design by Design Elements of Woodland Hills, Calif., and construction by FrontRunner Enterprises of Camarillo, Calif., the overall result is an environment that provides more spacious, thoughtfully configured work stations, roomy walkways, convenient common areas and plenty of greenery. Among the common areas will be an atrium with a large tree at its center.
"We started off with the basic concept that form was to follow function and we were not going to make compromises in this area," Haas said. "As employees and guests move about the facility, it gives them a change of environment - and a mental break."
Form will follow function in the new Tuscany-inspired lunchroom, which will be equipped - like all meeting areas - with flat paneled monitors and/or projectors, as well as wireless Internet connections.
Construction is expected to be completed in late August of 2008.
