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05
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
Definition
Office condominiums work much like a housing counterparts. Instead of renting a suite of
offices, some companies purchase an individual unit in a complex. The common areas are
co-owned by all of the tenants and a board usually oversees the maintenance issues. Office
condos are often created as part of a mixed-use renovation in downtown areas of medium to
smaller cities.
Design Consideration
• Common lobbies and foyers
• Enclosed plant on the roof
• Stairs and escalators
• Mechanical and electrical services plant areas
• Elevator
• Internal structure, such as columns
• Common toilet area
• Functions within the core enclosure
• Ducts and risers
• Car parking which was included in gross area
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
The Time-Based Nature of the Office Environment
Buildings are relatively permanent, while the organizations and activities within
them are continuously changing. To allow for maximum flexibility, different time
scales of building briefing and design can be distinguished into separate functions
of:
• The building shell – the structure and enclosure of the building, lasting 50 – 75
years, while the functions within change many time over.
• Building services – the heating, ventilation, and cabling infrastructure of a
building, which have a lifespan of 15 years or less before the technology becomes
obsolescent.
• Scenery – the fitting out components of a building, such as specific organization’s
requirements. The lifespan of a fit-out is between 5 and 7 years.
• Setting – the day-to-day re-arrangement of the furniture and equipment, to meet
changing needs.
• Utilities
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
General Spatial Spaces
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
OFFICES PUBLIC AREA SERVICES
General Spatial Arrangements
Double loaded
Centralized
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
General Spatial Arrangements
Centralized planning
Summary of Building shell Considerations
Depth of building - flexibility of layout options
- amount of cellularisation
- need for mechanical ventilation
- spatial efficiency
Location of cores - ease for sub-letting
- security
- spatial efficiency
Floor-to-floor heights - method of cable distribution
- type of servicing
Floor size and shape - spatial efficiency
- planning flexibility
- size of working groups
Perimeter detail and planning grid - flexibility of sub-divisions
- efficiency of space
- solar gain/loss consideration
Construction - base of adaptation
- space for services
- image
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
Space Planning
Utilities
Rentable space Rentable space
Elevators
Public toilet
Stairs
Rentable space Rentable space
Public toilet
Computation of Floor Area
GEA & GIA
dimension
GEA dimension
Add areas of external projections
GIA dimension
Open sided covered loading
Add areas of external
GEA dimension
GEA dimension
GIA dimension
GIA dimension
projections
bay
Unit no. 1
Note: internal projections not deducted from
GIA
An example of dimensions of GEA and GIA for an
industrial/warehouse end terrace unit
GEA – Gross External Unit
GIA – Gross Internal Unit
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM Cooling tower
penthouse Penthouse
Corporate office
Offices
Plan
personnel
park
Utilities
lobby
restaurant
parking
Section
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
Use of light weight materials that is easy install and take out
The Building Shell, expected life 60
years
The Building services, expected life 15 years
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
Centralized
air-conditioning
Scenery, replaced after 7 years
Setting, changing from day to day Raised floor systems to
hide cables
OFFICE CONDOMINIUM
THE BUILDING SKIN
The role is shifting from being a barrier to the environment to being an integral
part of the servicing strategy. Natural ventilation is becoming increasingly
important.
NATURAL VENT OR AIR CONDITIONING?
It is usually a straight choice between natural ventilation and full air
conditioning for both speculative and purpose-built offices.
Apart from improved comfort, reasons for choosing air conditioning
include:
• Prestige
• Standard Requirements
• Flexibility to accommodate changing requirements
• Higher rents giving better rate of return
• Poor External environment
Corporate identity
THE BUILDING SKIN
Use of curtain walls and metal cladding
METAL CLADDING
ALPOLIC & ALPOLIC®/fr
Interior and Exterior
Features
Lightweight and Interior ALPOLIC® is a light and strong sheet material. With the light specific
Rigid gravity of 1.2 it can reduce weight by 40% compared with solid aluminum sheet
and by 70% of stainless steel with the equivalent rigidity.
Flatness Continuous laminating process to laminate aluminum skins and core material
provides the excellent flatness of the panel free of distortion and deflection.
Workability Cutting, bending, curving and other procedures are easily accomplished with
aluminum working or wood working machines.
Impact Resistance Compared with calcium silicate board and gypsum board, Interior ALPOLIC ®
cannot be cracked and broken because of lamination with aluminum skins and
visco-elastic high molecular resin.
Sound Transmission Compared with other materials of the same weight (steel, aluminum, plywood,
®
etc.) Interior ALPOLIC has a larger sound transmission loss.
Corrosion Resistance, The coatings are applied with a continuous coil coating line, and consistent
Humidity Resistance coating quality and hence, high performance can be expected in corrosion
and Weather-ability resistance and weather-ability in ALPOLIC ® PC Series and ALPOLIC ® PC Stone
Series, which can be applied for moist rooms.
Thermal Insulation Interior ALPOLIC ® has a good thermal insulation effect due to the core material
of high molecular resin.
CORPORATE INTERIORS
Hierarchy of Spaces
1. CEO/PRESIDENT
2. DIRECTOR
3. MANAGER
4. ASSISTANT MANAGER
5. STAFF
Important Spaces
RECEPTION
CEO OFFICE
MEETING ROOM
BOARDROOM
MANAGER’S OFFICE
Use of chair connotes hierarchy
1. CEO/PRESIDENT 2. DIRECTOR/MANAGER 3. STAFF
Hierarchy of Spaces
Staff Manager CEO /President
Enclosed
1.00-1.20M height 1.40-1.50M height
workstation workstation
Function + Work Flow
windows windows
Managers CEO Meeting
Reception
+ Lounge
Library
Break-out Rank-in file
areas
Exit Main Entrance
Function + Work Flow
Manager CEO /President
Staff
Sample layout
Sample layout
Comparison of layout types
Layouts vary depending on: degree of enclosure, density of people, distribution
of space
Open Plan Acoustic
screens
Screen
Structure furniture
Comparison of layout types
Fixed lines Cellular
Space programming
750
500
1000
600
750
950
Average reach of a person sitting at a desk. To With space for paper on one side
reach outer area user has to bend but not stand up
750 1200
600
600
Basic space for writing and typing With space for paper on both sides
Space programming
1.2m main passage
1.0 M secondary passage
.8 M minimum
.45m side return 1.2-1.5m
.60m table top
Space programming
700-750
Space programming
Space requirements for Informal Meetings
Circulation Space
1000
600
400
450
700
1500 750 1200 1500 Min 1500
1000
450
600
600
600
1100 900 700 2000 1300 to
1500
Space and circulation requirements of filing and other office equipment
Space programming
OPEN PLAN
Space programming
4.7m
4.2m
7.5 4.2
STRUCTURED OPEN PLAN
Space programming
4.5m
7.5m
22.5 m
7.5m
Self-regulatory - mixed
Space programming
2.9m
14
4m
Office Combi
Space programming
5.4m 2.7 m
2.7m
5.5m
4.5
5m
1.5m
4.5m
Office Combi
Utilities
Power and communication servicing
through raised floor
Interior Ambiance
Appropriate Materials
Interior Finishes
Floor: Carpet tiles
Public area: Ceramic tiles
Ceiling: Acoustic board
with t-runner
Walls: Paint
Semi-gloss
White
Tables: Laminate
Veneer
Colors: Paints
Branding: CORPORATE COLORS Walls: SEMI-GLOSS FOR WALLS
Walls: White Latex for concrete
Accent: Corporate colors Enamel for drywall
Accent ceiling: Flat Enamel
INTERIOR FINISHING
SYSTEMS FOR OFFICES
Architectural Finishing
Systems CEILING USED IN CORPORATE OFFICE
Suspended Light Gauge
Ceiling System
Raised Floor Systems
(Access Floors)
Light-Gauge Steel
Metal Cladding
RAISED FLOOR SYSTEMS (ACCESS FLOORS)
RAISED FLOOR SYSTEMS (ACCESS FLOORS)
Partition used for Corporate Office
Horizontal channel bracing
Walls less than 10’ (3050) high: Light-gauge steel studs
• 2 rows @ 1/3 height for vertical loads @ 12”, 16” or 24” (305,
• 1 row @ mid-height for wind loads 405 or 610) o.c.
Walls over 10’ (3050) high:
• 3’-4” (1015) o.c. maximum for vertical
loads
• 5’-0” (1525) o.c. maximum for wind Continuous runner
Diagonal steel loads channel
strap bracing
welded to studs Light-gauge steel stud
and runners assembly @ corners
Secure strap
connection to
stud and runner
with a steel
gusset plate or
welds
Angle clip welded
to stud and
bolted foundation
Splice runner sections
with a stud section
Partition used for Corporate Office
Light-gauge stud walls are framed,
sheathed, insulated and finished as in
Channel studs wood light frame construction
Light-gauge steel studs are Connections are made with
usually prepunched to self-drilling, self-tapping
C-Studs allow piping, wiring and screws inserted with an
bracing to pass through electric or pneumatic tool or
Consult manufacturer for with pneumatically driven pins
specific shapes and
available sizes and gauges
1”, 1-3/8” (25, 35) thick
2-1/2”, 3-1/4”, 3-5/8”, 4”, 6”
(64, 85, 90, 100, 150) wide
1-1/4”, 1-3/8”, 1-1/2”, 1-5/8”
(32, 35, 38, 41) thick
2-1/2”, 3”, 3-1/2”, 3-5/8”, 4”, 5-1/2”, 6”, 7-1/2”, 8”
(64, 75, 90, 100, 140, 150, 190, 205) wide
Partition used for Corporate Office
Steel gusset plate
Trussed header Double C-joists Structural steel channel
Trussed bridging at Double or nested studs
corners next to openings
INTERIOR LIGHTING
FOR OFFICES
Lighting design for offices
Working area
Meeting area
Luminaires for offices
Louvred luminaires
Louvred luminaires are designed for linear light sources such as fluorescent
lamps or compact fluorescent lamps. Their name derives from their anti-dazzle
attachments that may be anti-glare louvres, light controlling specular reflectors or
prismatic diffusers.
Being fitted with linear light sources of low luminance louvred luminaires
produce little or no modelling effects. They generally have wide-beam light
distribution, with the result that louvred luminaires are predominantly used for
lighting wide areas.
Luminaires for offices
Louvred luminaires
Mounting options for louvred luminaires: recessed ceiling, surface,
mounting on tracks, walls, floor-standing or pendant mounting.
Different versions of
louvred luminaires
(from the top downwards):
luminaire with
transverse louvres, luminaire
with parabolic
louvres, luminaire with
parabolic louvres and
prismatic lamp diffuser
for improving contrast
rendition, luminaire
with prismatic louvre.
Luminaires for offices
Wallwashers
illuminate walls and depending on how they are designed –
also a part of the floor. Stationary wallwashers are available as recessed and
surface-mounted luminaires.
Ceiling washlights
are designed for brightening or lighting
ceilings and for indirect ambient lighting.
They are installed above eye height on
the wall or suspended from the ceiling.
Ceiling washlights are generally equipped
with tungsten halogen lamps for mains
voltage or with high-pressure discharge
lamps.
Luminaires for offices
Spotlights
Spotlights are the most common form of movable luminaires. They illuminate a
limited area, with the result that they are rarely used for ambient lighting but
predominantly for accent lighting. In view of their flexibility with regard to mounting
position and light direction, they can be adjusted to meet changing requirements.
END
