Putsch & Co. Office

Architect: Odell Associates (visit website)

Location: Fletcher, North Carolina

100 Word Description: The Putsch Group’s new 13,000 SF headquarters, “the Machine in the Field,” is designed to embody the client’s expertise in producing industrial machinery for their North American operations.  The addition creates a fresh identity for the company and provides new offices, conference rooms, and factory worker facilities.  The new two-story addition becomes the iconic front door to the existing pre-cast concrete factory building.   The main entrance is revealed through the scrim by a panel that appears to be retracted, and exposes an expanse of glass that opens to the two-story lobby.   The interior was inspired by clean lines and precision of the machine.

Architect’s Statement: The Putsch Group’s new 13,000 SF headquarters, “the Machine in the Field,” is designed to embody the client’s expertise in producing industrial machinery for North American sugar, filtration and separation, root vegetable processing, and glass industries.  The addition creates a fresh identity for the company and provides new offices, conference rooms, and factory worker facilities.  The signature design element, the metal scrim, embodies their hi-tech savvy and precision, but it also incorporates stainless steel panels, used in their filtration equipment, to create an iconic branding element. Each grouping of panels has been laser-cut to form the letters of the Putsch Group company logo.  The scrim is an industrial manifestation of the machine with exposed painted steel, exposed fasteners and a monochromatic color palette.  The perforations in the stainless steel panels provide adequate shade for the west-facing glazing beyond while allowing daylight to penetrate the interior.  The main entrance is revealed through the scrim by a panel that appears to be retracted, and exposes an expanse of glass that opens to the two-story lobby.    The building envelope consist of 3†insulated metal panels, storefront, and curtain wall.  The insulated metal panels create a very efficient thermal wrapper that will reduce the owner’s energy consumption to heat and cool the building.  Operable horizontal ribbon windows provide daylight and natural ventilation to the open office located on the second floor.The existing concrete clad factory remained operational during construction.  The connection to the new facilities delineated a designated entrance for factory workers to arrive to the site and enter the factory floor.  It was important to the client that there was a clear separation between public and factory circulation.  The new addition becomes the iconic front door while creating a more concealed entrance for factory workers. This strategic location also increases visibility to the street, allowing for views back toward the mountains while minimizing operational delays.   The interior was inspired by clean lines and precision of the machine.   The lobby boasts a vertical metal scrim that recalls the exterior element, thus pulling the exterior to the interior.  The interior scrim also provides a subtle screening element for the bridge used for employees to circulate to the café located on the second floor.  The strategic placement of glass walls, windows, and open railings allows the space to expand into the landscape.  The client challenged our design team to maintain as much openness as possible throughout the space.  The neutral color palette of the interior is warmed by the dark wood floor that covers most of the public areas and monumental stair.  This high contrast between the walls and floor provided the client with the striking style they desired.

Type of Construction: This project is Steel framed construction with metal K joist.

Photography: 2013, Peter Brentlinger Photographer