Contract Magazine - October 2018 - 37

Key Design Highlights
By removing existing barriers
along the building perimeter,
Gensler transformed the
surrounding outdoor space
into a pedestrian-friendly
public plaza.
White-coated aluminum louvers
form a shading canopy above
the new Record Street entrance,
continue into the lobby, and
terminate outside the Market
Street entrance, creating the
illusion of the canopy slicing
through the building.
The lobby is now a bright and
lofty space thanks to removal of
an existing granite wall on the
Record Street side and the
lobby's previous ceiling.

settling on this lozenge-like shape.
After researching cladding materials with
the client, they eventually selected an aluminumcopper alloy that has a gold tone but will eventually
streak due to the copper content. "We wanted it
to be identifiable, independent from the rest of
the project," says project designer Justin Bashaw.
"We've got this clean, crisp white plaza, but then
this gold metal object that weathers over time."
Gensler specified a whopping 18,000 bespoke fishscale shingles made of this material and mounted
them to a substrate that wraps the restaurant,
save for the glass walls offering glimpses of
diners. Meanwhile, a new glass-enclosed helical
staircase on the plaza punches through the bottom
to provide direct access to Bullion.
Hidden interventions
In addition to the dramatic plaza and lobby overhaul,
Gensler focused on two amenities not immediately

visible to the public as they're at the top of the
building where the CES family's offices are situated.
On the north elevation, the architects did away
with an existing balcony, enclosed it, and added
a two-story, floor-to-ceiling window wall that affords
dramatic views of the city skyline. To reclaim some
outdoor space, they converted an awkward
solarium-type sitting room on the south elevation
that was topped by a slanted skylight. By removing
the skylight and weatherproofing the space, Gensler
created a new outdoor "sky garden," and inserted
a frameless glass guardrail to enhance its views
of the city. What's more, this new rooftop terrace
visually connects to the plaza with a similar shading
canopy of white louvers tilted 45 degrees.
In a sense, one critical intervention was
made by the client: CES was initially unsure of moving
to this building because, in addition to dated
architecture, the site was in the much less popular
downtown side of the city. With all of the action

Lifted and prominently shaped
and clad, Bullion stands out
from the rest of the building as a
precious, shiny sculptural
object.
Bullion's fish-scale siding is
composed of 18,000 bespoke
aluminum-copper alloy shingles
nailed to a substrate.
The architects converted
awkward spaces at the top of
the building into new amenities
for the family offices with
dramatic views of the city.
In addition to the ground floor
and rooftop interventions,
Gensler designed a new fitness
and conference center on the
third floor.

taking place in uptown Dallas, "it took a special
client with a certain imagination to envision
possibilities for this building," says Zapata.
The owners looked toward the future potential
for the neighborhood should Texas approve
the proposed high-speed rail connecting Houston
to downtown Dallas. And CES's own move here
may also be just the catalyst downtown Dallas
needs. Less than a year in, 400 Record is already
generating buzz and its restaurant is luring
new crowds. "Having a high-end restaurant and
a major company moving the headquarters to this
building sends a signal," Zapata adds. "I think
it changed the perception of this part of town
in the minds of a lot of people." c

contract

Contract Magazine - October 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract Magazine - October 2018