DMJMH+N Corporate Headquarters
Los Angeles
DMJM Rottet

High-rise offices provide an oasis of austere beauty

© Michael Montanez

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

Located in a modern high-rise building in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, this headquarters office for DMJM’s architecture and interior design department includes offices for design team consisted of Lauren Rottet, FAIA, and her design partner Richard Riveire, AIA. The program consisted of administrative offices, executive suites, production studio, and administrative and marketing support. The architect was faced with a moderate budget, fitting more than 500 employees into 125,000 square feet, a challenge that would require minimizing the size of workstations per employee. This was accomplished through the use of flat panel computer monitors, below-counter shelving, and the adoption of an open office plan.

The space is predominantly white, creating an ethereal and zen-like environment. In this completely open office plan, custom workstations are set back from the perimeter curtain wall to allow an abundance of natural light. Due to this external perimeter circulation, the window bays are fully exposed to the production studio. In the afternoon, daylight bounces off the white walls and furniture reflecting inside the look and feel of the outside space. In the evening, the office looks quite different when the sky turns black and the studio glows with a series of pendant lights and task lighting. From passersby that look up, the eighth and ninth floors of the black granite buildings at Arco Plaza radiate with an unusual brightness because of the light generated from the white interiors.

Formal name of Project:
DMJMH+N Corporate Headquarters

Location:
Los Angeles

Gross square footage:
125,000 sq ft

Owner:
AECOM

Client:
DMJM Rottet

Architect:
DMJM Rottet
Paul Hastings Tower
515 South Flower Street, 8th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071-2201
T: 213.593.8300
F: 213.593.8610