MDR Truss Campus
A mid-century complex gets transformed into an airy tech hub.
Environment · Strategy
When a private equity real estate firm approached Rapt wanting to renovate six distinct industrial buildings and establish a cohesive multi-tenant campus, Rapt decided to combine the two lots they were on and make them feel whole.
The Bradmore Group held the three-acre property for decades before deciding to redevelop it. Instead of converting the 1950s units to multi-family homes – as is custom in the surrounding area – they chose to embrace the new wave of tech and media in the LA area, establishing office space that caters to young, up-and-coming creatives.
Prioritizing the indoor-outdoor connection, Rapt opened up previously closed-off, disconnected spaces, establishing clear sightlines from inside to outside and building to building, revealing activity that would otherwise happen behind closed doors.
While working with key original features – like exposed brick and masonry – Rapt provided a facelift to the existing buildings. The original structures were stripped back to their bare finishes and left exposed, so that a mix of textures and layers interplay. Masonry walls were repainted to unify the color palette, and clean metal finishes polish the look. Perforated surfaces add extra texture.
Partnering with a landscape architect and structural engineer, Rapt established ground-level and second-story outdoor spaces. Solid walls were punched open with windows and skylights, and a continuous path framed by plants now winds its way from one end of the campus to the other. New doors on adjacent buildings allow tenants to meet outside, drift in and out of their office spaces, and enjoy the temperate Southern California climate. Two fully furnished roof decks provide views of the entire campus, and numerous ground-level patios offer a chance to catch a little sun.
Today, the campus is home to digital advertising company ZEFR and the Bouqs Co., an online farm-to-table flower delivery service. The Bradmore Group itself chose to relocate to one of the buildings on the campus as well, leaving their long-time home base in Santa Monica.
Rapt designed the workplace interiors for both ZEFR and The Bradmore Group, aiming to prioritize camaraderie and establish spaces that foster a sense of belonging. The ensuing designs strike a balance between easygoing workplaces and lively hubs, and ZEFR's two-story space features large-scale art installations.
Altogether the changes to the campus interject life into the area and encourage tenants to cross paths all day long – fueling the kind of interactions that inspire creative work.
The Bradmore Group held the three-acre property for decades before deciding to redevelop it. Instead of converting the 1950s units to multi-family homes – as is custom in the surrounding area – they chose to embrace the new wave of tech and media in the LA area, establishing office space that caters to young, up-and-coming creatives.
Prioritizing the indoor-outdoor connection, Rapt opened up previously closed-off, disconnected spaces, establishing clear sightlines from inside to outside and building to building, revealing activity that would otherwise happen behind closed doors.
While working with key original features – like exposed brick and masonry – Rapt provided a facelift to the existing buildings. The original structures were stripped back to their bare finishes and left exposed, so that a mix of textures and layers interplay. Masonry walls were repainted to unify the color palette, and clean metal finishes polish the look. Perforated surfaces add extra texture.
Partnering with a landscape architect and structural engineer, Rapt established ground-level and second-story outdoor spaces. Solid walls were punched open with windows and skylights, and a continuous path framed by plants now winds its way from one end of the campus to the other. New doors on adjacent buildings allow tenants to meet outside, drift in and out of their office spaces, and enjoy the temperate Southern California climate. Two fully furnished roof decks provide views of the entire campus, and numerous ground-level patios offer a chance to catch a little sun.
Today, the campus is home to digital advertising company ZEFR and the Bouqs Co., an online farm-to-table flower delivery service. The Bradmore Group itself chose to relocate to one of the buildings on the campus as well, leaving their long-time home base in Santa Monica.
Rapt designed the workplace interiors for both ZEFR and The Bradmore Group, aiming to prioritize camaraderie and establish spaces that foster a sense of belonging. The ensuing designs strike a balance between easygoing workplaces and lively hubs, and ZEFR's two-story space features large-scale art installations.
Altogether the changes to the campus interject life into the area and encourage tenants to cross paths all day long – fueling the kind of interactions that inspire creative work.