Hildene Capital Management
Hildene Capital Management, a fairly young investment company, decided to move into a new space that would accommodate their growing staff and reflect the fresh, creative approach they take to their work. Having worked in the Hildene Capital’s new building and with Bavier Design before, Pavarini North East joined the project team to realize the firm’s vision.
Hoping to create a loft-like space in modern building, Bavier’s design specified features that would add character to the new office, including white-washed brick, repurposed accent lights, reclaimed wood millwork and beams, polished concrete floors, and raw metal, as well as some colorful antiques and unique seating. The 6,400sf project was complex right from the start. The striking design features required very specific coordination and an aggressive schedule, so planning and logistics became the team’s modus operandi.
The design called for polished concrete floors, but the floor’s existing conditions required intensive upfront work. The space originally had carpet throughout, and the broker had removed the carpet and spread multiple layers of ARDEX over the remaining glue to help improve the appearance. The project team spent over a month grinding it down to the original concrete at night as not to disturb the building’s daytime occupants.
The ceiling, too, required a good deal of preplanning. The design included exposed ceilings with sprayed-on sound attenuation insulation. But once the insulation is installed, it can be easily chipped or damaged during the reinstallation of the duct work, cables, and other building infrastructure. To avoid that potential damage, the Pavarini team mapped out all the systems on the floor to reflect where they would be located on the ceiling before the insulation was sprayed.
Perhaps the trickiest element of the project to plan for was the wood for the millwork. The architect and millworker sourced an old New England barn to supply the wood and took it apart to determine which portions were useable. Then those pieces had to be acclimated to the right moisture content to ensure they wouldn’t warp once installed.
Working as a team, Pavarini, Bavier Design, and Hildene were able to complete the complex space in just ten weeks.
©Photgraphy Credit Michael Grant
Architect
Bavier Design
Client
Hildene Capital Management
Address
333 Ludlow Street
Location
Stamford, CT
SF
6,400sf
Architect
Bavier Design, LLC
Project Engineer
Peterson Engineering Group
Contract
CM
