Blevins CUBED Architects completed this tenant improvement project for this Client which involved the construction of approximately 25000 ft.² of new administrative offices on the second floor of an existing office building in La Jolla California, during the summer of 2005.  The design and build contractor for the project was Good and Roberts Construction Co. of Vista California.  The mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers for the project were TKG consulting engineers of San Diego, California. The space is involved in the new construction included areas for an employee gymnasium, new restroom facilities, executive offices, reception and waiting areas, conference rooms, a copy center, and a break room.  Whether the technical spaces that were part of the project to new SCIF, level 4 spaces were designed.

The special challenge that was part of the design involved the construction of the SCIF spaces.  The new SCIF spaces were to be constructed on the second-floor of the facility.  Since the sound transmission between any space within the skin of area and any space outside the skiff area was to be controlled to the STC 45 criteria, the nature of the floor ceiling construction between the SCIF areas on the second-floor and the floor below were a concern.  This challenge was met by the application of a new product designed to soundproof wood structures.  This plywood product involved in the lamination of 32 gauge sheet-metal between layers of plywood.  In order to keep the floor level, the existing lightweight concrete floor surfacing was removed and a new 3/4" thick layer of this sound retardant plywood product was installed.  The resulting floor/ceiling required no application of sound proofing materials below the second-floor deck.  An additional challenge to involve the construction of the relatively heavy SCIF areas all in the existing wood structure of the second-floor. Some reinforcing was required to be done simply to support equipment that was to be placed within the areas.  However, the ceilings that were planned for the SCIF spaces were required to be supported from the structure of the roof in order to maintain the floor loading within tolerable limits.

One of the Parent Company's objectives on this project was to meet LEED Silver certification status.  This involved a meeting a series of criteria outlined in the US Green Building Council standards for C1 tenant improvement certification.  Blevins CUBED Architects and TKG consulting engineers assisted Photon and the application for Silver level certification through LEED.