Fossett Paving Co. Headquarters

115 Cowden, Collierville, TN 38107 United States

Building Area (sf): 6,000 sf office building, 6,000 sf shop building

Completion: September 2020

Architect of Record:

LRK

Victor Buchholz, Carson Looney, Lauren Ricks, Caleb Sears, Megan Hoover, Mike Zielinski

• Owner/Client:
• General Contractor: Priester and Associates
• Electrical: HNA Engineering (MEP), DPC Engineers (Structural), McCarty Granberry (Civil), Fisher Arnold (Landscape Architect), LRK (Interior Design)
• Engineering:
  
• Other:
  
• Photography:
  Nick McGinn (01-09, 11), LRK (10)
  

With simple, but impactful design strategies a typical pre-engineered metal building was elevated to genuine architecture for the headquarters of an asphalt paving company.

The program was simple: a 6,000sf office building, a 6,000sf shop building, a fuel station and canopy, and a large yard for equipment. However, the owner and architect envisioned turning the rural land, located in an industrial zone with no infrastructure, into something more by providing a daylit, elegant office for employees and by delivering a new elevated standard for industrial buildings.

Using a singular design language between all three structures as well as the signage and fencing not only created a cohesive project, but a pattern for future expansion. The office building breaks from standard PEMB rectangular structure and creates a unique entry point with glass and glowing light fixtures enticing passersby. This shift in building form creates a dynamic exterior while optimizing interior square footage.

A brick base, selected for its durability, also grounds the building with a sense of permanence and weight. Ironspot brick mimics the color and reflectivity of the bronze metal panel, as the asphalt will as it ages. With the office and shop buildings sharing the same materials, simple changes in the texture of the metal panel and the height of the brick differentiate the two.

A driving design element, every space has access to natural light, and on the exterior, the openings help create rhythm and give depth to the façade. Window openings recessed 11 inches create a play of shadows throughout the day. The goal was not to disguise the building system, but to push its limits. Painting the exposed interior structure and insulation black and using other high-end materials uplift the entire design.