Capstone Advisors’ new corporate headquarters is a true reflection of the owner’s philosophy and character, both professional and personal. John McCulley, Principal of McCulley Design and Alex Zikakis, Founder and President of Capstone Advisors combined their respective talents to give new life to the interior of this 9,000 square foot office space located in North Carlsbad. Reflecting on the primary objective of the office space’s interior design, Mr. Zikakis commented, “We worked very closely with McCulley Design to design our offices to reflect the way we work – in an open, cooperative, team oriented environment. Since we spend so much of our lives at work, we designed our office space to be as comfortable and inviting as possible. I consider our office a combination of professional office space and a casual clubhouse.”

The building’s core has a somewhat industrial appearance, with 22 foot exposed ceilings, natural finish tilt-up concrete walls, exposed HVAC ducting and drop lighting, a combination that posed an interesting challenge. A colorful palette of earth tones, accented with deep reds, cool blues and authentic recycled bamboo flooring emits a truly artistic feeling when entering the space. Sophisticated, progressive and energetic, the Modernist architectural design is accentuated selected pieces of art from Mr. Zikakis’ personal collection. The most prominent piece of art is a backlit, continuously printed photographic image of the Island of Kauai. At 120 square feet, it is the largest light box mounted photographic image of its kind in the Western United States.

According to Mr. Zikakis, “One of the limitations of the interior of the building is the lack of windows along one of its main walls. We worked with legendary photographer Aaron Chang to turn the wall into a fantastic “window” that looks directly onto the North Shore of Kauai. The result is breathtaking and the piece immediately became a main focal point of the interior of the building.” Intentional arrangement of interior spaces purposefully integrate the interior office areas with natural light which fills and embraces the space from skylights in the high ceiling above and the floor to ceiling glass walls at the front and rear of the space.

New visitors repeatedly comment on the sense of professionalism and individuality that the space projects due to the openness, rich natural materials, contrasting colors and artwork. Employees truly enjoy coming to work, finding that the space engages the senses, is physically comfortable, and fosters an interactive productive environment. Whether it is the workspaces, the meeting areas, gym or the outdoor patio (which acts as an extended office space as well as the location for frequent company barbeque lunches) Capstone’s associates feel connected to the company. “There is a sense of balance, identity and purpose working here” shares one associate. Unlike a more traditional corporate office, this office feels entrepreneurial yet at the same time it feels institutional and professional. These are important images for visiting clients,” shares another.

Sustainability is an important component of Capstone’s philosophy and it was a key objective in the space’s interior design. This objective was met by the use of renewable and recycled materials, the use of energy and water efficient fixtures and the integration of green practices into everyday policy and procedures. Capstone’s building has qualified for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star designation. In addition, Capstone has registered the building for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver designation and expects certification by January 2010. Once obtained Capstone’s building will be one of only two “existing” office buildings in San Diego County to achieve a LEED Silver certification.

Image