Industrial Flex Space Meets Collaboration Goals

An interior photo shows the ceiling treatment and design of the lobby space.

FARMERS BRANCH, TX—With a desire for much-needed space and a more efficient work environment, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing now occupies a new 28,000-square-foot office/warehouse facility. Key components include executive offices, conference rooms, and a training and break room.  The warehouse portion consists of 14,000 square feet of space dedicated to Chamberlin’s in-house metal fabrication shop and storage. The building includes plenty of collaborative spaces. Training and conference rooms feature cutting-edge technology, allowing all of Chamberlin’s offices to communicate smarter and faster. The energy-efficient features include recycled porcelain used for restroom countertops and LED lighting throughout the building. Schwob Building Company Ltd. was the general contractor. Alliance Architects ‘ team members included Carlos DeSaracho, Barb Caires, Zach Weldy and David Whitford . Caires recently discussed the goals, innovative solutions and unique qualities of the project in this exclusive . GlobeSt.com: What were the goals that Chamberlin wanted to achieve with the project? Caires: Chamberlin outgrew the existing facility on Glenda Avenue in Dallas and also was looking to relocate (the company was previously near construction on Interstate 35 in Dallas). The company wanted a lot of natural light, so exterior offices were given full-height windows. And, Chamberlin also wanted to showcase its awards, so a special space was made in the lobby to accommodate them. GlobeSt.com: What were the innovative solutions provided? Caires: Chamberlin set a priority on a workplace with sensible arrangement of offices that allowed for the most efficient workflows. Extensive programming was completed on the project to set up the structure of where the offices would be placed. GlobeSt.com: What are the unique qualities of this project? Caires: We allotted a special placement on the site to allow for expansion up to two times the building size. Special track lighting was used in corridors to showcase project photos. This lighting allows the client to adjust the lighting when projects are updated. Special consideration was given to finishes to accommodate the Chamberlin work style; for example, high traffic patterns led to choosing a specific carpet tile that would resist showing stains. I also designed an area rug in the lobby. David Neal , executive vice president of Chamberlin states, “Alliance is a very service-oriented company, and their team was always responsive in a timely manner. While creativity is abundant with this team, they also listened to our preferences and effectively tailored a design to meet our specific needs. We are extremely satisfied with Chamberlin’s newest office space and look forward to enjoying it for years to come.” This project was awarded a 2015 Tilt-Up Achievement Award by the Tilt-Up Concrete Association . These awards highlight the projects that illustrate Tilt-Up’s unique ability to get the job done easier, faster and for less money. The program honors projects that use site-cast Tilt-Up concrete to introduce new building types, advance industry technology and provide unique solutions to building programs.