ESI Headquarters Building
Meridian, Idaho
BEST PROJECT
Presented by IS
Owner and general contractor IS
Leading design company Gray Wolf Architecture
Structural Engineer Tamarack Grove Engineering
MEP engineer Cator Ruma & Associates Co.
What was once a three-story call center has been transformed into a state-of-the-art headquarters for ESI, optimized to enhance collaboration, inspire innovation, foster teamwork and cultivate relationships. The facility spans more than 16 acres and features 19 conference rooms, 17 meeting spaces, five tender rooms, a classroom, an employee gym, a cafeteria, and an innovation lab with interactive augmented and virtual reality capabilities.
The rehabilitation of a 20-year-old building presented multiple challenges. Several tons of materials had to be removed from the building before several tons more could be brought in. Concrete floors and old structural materials were removed to accommodate a new grand staircase and renovated floor plan. The new design also called for skylights to improve natural lighting throughout the building. Modifications were made to use skylight openings as access points for ingress and egress of materials.
Photo courtesy of Slack Media, Tobin Rogers
MEP teams faced significant challenges after removing the raised floors of the building’s office spaces. The electrical team modified thousands of feet of wiring that needed to be replaced or rerouted to support the complete design overhaul of each floor. The electricians worked closely with the design team to shape and adjust the floor plans to meet the design intent and preserve the functionality of the work areas.
The exterior of the building features cross-laminated timber (CLT) columns and canopies, but placing 40-foot CLT beams in the entrances and around the building was a lift—each beam weighed around 10,000 pounds.
Reclamation and recycling drove the project’s sustainability goals. The old call center included all the original cubicles, office furniture and fittings. Instead of hauling all that metal to the landfill, the project team refurbished the cubicle panels and cabinets, reassembled them, and installed them in the new office layout. The rest of the scrap and copper wire was recycled, with the proceeds donated to the contractor’s charity, ESI CARES. And the wood for two 18-foot-long conference tables and the 104 steps for the grand staircase came from fallen trees.
