Overall Excellence – Keynote Presentation

Jackson square Workplace transforms the 1906 Kentucky stable Building – once a stable and once a cigar factory, into a 28,000 sqft global VC headquarters.  The challenge was twofold;  preserve the historic shell’s warmth and texture while inserting a refined, modern workplace that is bright, collaborative, and elegant.  Light became the primary bridge between past and present.

The existing envelope of brick walls and timber columns carried the weight of time.  3D scans revealed over 3” of floor variation, while inaccurate drawings made structural conditions unpredictable.  Rather than conceal these irregularities, the design celebrated them through light.   

The modern four-story architectural stair “insert” introduces a contrasting palette of refined materials rising beneath an existing skylight.  Without conventional mounting surfaces, lighting was integrated directly into the architecture.  Two expansive skylights required customized tracks and concealed covers to ensure the volumes remained luminous through long workdays.  Super shallow joists necessitated custom luminaires and power solutions, coordinated closely with structural conditions.  Many iterations of AGI calculations and lighting control level-setting confirmed workplace light levels through the layering of many non-traditional workplace details. 

Despite a fast-tracked schedule, pandemic era supply challenges, and strict energy codes, every lighting layer was crafted for efficiency and visual impact.  The result is dialogue between past and present with light as a key element in reimagining the century old structure for modern use and neighborhood engagement.

Design team:
PritchardPeck Lighting:  Kristin Peck, Kyra Hermann-Traxler
Architect: SOM:  Michelle Hatton, Jennifer glover, David Loo
Electrical Engineer:  ESD/Stantec:  Nina Ault