Vertical Office Expansion
Plainville, MA ~4,600 sq. ft.
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Vertical Growth and Contextual Design
The architectural challenge for this project centered on doubling the usable square footage of an existing commercial asset without expanding its physical footprint. The project required a complex structural and vertical circulation strategy to convert a single-story office into a two-story, multi-tenant facility.
The design intervention focused on a "top-down" modernization of the property:
Vertical Expansion: GDS designed a new second floor within the existing footprint, creating two additional high-end tenant spaces (2,043 SF and 1,980 SF) connected by a common hallway.
Accessibility & Circulation: To support the new density, the plan integrated a Kone elevator system, a new front entry porch with a canopy roof, and a secondary rear egress stairwell for life safety compliance.
Residential Aesthetic: A primary goal was to move away from a traditional "industrial" office look. The exterior was reimagined with new cladding, lighting, and a masonry chimney extension to provide a warmer, residential-inspired aesthetic that enhances the streetscape.
Technical Excellence: The Permit Set involved extensive coordination with structural and civil engineers to manage the increased loads of the second-story addition and ensure compliance with 524 CMR elevator codes and MA building standards.
The result is a successful adaptive expansion that maximizes the value of the land and the existing structure, providing Plainville with a modernized professional hub that feels like a natural part of the neighborhood.
