Project: ABP Capital Office
Architects: Studio Blitz
Scope: Architecture, Interior Design, Furniture Design, Lighting Design, Environmental Graphics
Core+Shell Architect: Brett Farrow Architect, Inc.
Location: Encinitas, California
Size: 15,000 SF
Photo Credits: Tom Bonner, Paul Rivera
The ethos and collaborative business approach of ABP Capital is guided by three principles: honesty, transparency, and openness.
These core values were the driving influences behind Blitz’s interior design of the financial company’s headquarters in Encinitas, CA. The office design leverages the building’s proximity to the beach and presents clients and staff with an open, relaxed space. The use of clear, honest, and modern materials in an accessible layout invokes the company’s principles.
An open gallery space hallmarked by a 12-foot-diameter geometric LED light fixture—custom designed by Blitz—draws visual interest upward and welcomes individuals entering the building. A 14’x9’ block of 16 monitors broadcasting a continuous loop of ABP Capital’s client videos or a live stream of the beach entertains waiting guests.
Central to the floorplan is an atrium with a Japanese-inspired bamboo garden, visible from most vantage points throughout. The building, by Brett Farrow Architect, Inc. capitalizes upon the Southern California climate and abundant light with several open terraces and the central atrium.
Blitz’s solution to designing within a largely glass envelope was to maintain transparency without the obstruction of solid materials. Interior walls are turned perpendicular to the long, glazed exteriors of the building, and all parallel interior surfaces are glass. The program’s linear arrangement promotes consistency across the two-story building as visitors navigate both floors through a circular path that wraps around the central garden.
Lounge spaces with soft residential furnishings are balanced with industrial materials to evoke a modern, comfortable, and inviting atmosphere. Western red cedar wood slats line the ceilings. Recycled teak wood floors inject warmth into the glass and concrete structure while contributing to sustainability.
The second floor hosts the CEO’s office, main conference room, open office space, and large employee pantry. The CEO’s office is appointed with a collection of modern furniture and distinguished by a custom desk of quartzite, metal, and wood. Expansive glass walls encircle the main conference room and provide views of the LED light fixture at eye level. A custom walnut wood table anchors the space and a glass bay window—which faces the main street—extends the room over the sidewalk below.
A walkway connecting public and private areas bifurcates the garden. Sliding glass doors open into the back portion of the garden, and a pantry composed of rift-cut oak harmonizes the interior with the natural landscape. Furnished with soft, tactile residential elements, the indoor/outdoor lounge serves as a welcoming break area and gateway into the employee workspace.
