If an architect does their job well, a building’s lifespan will be long, varied, and busy. Updates are a sign of a well-loved building, and the redesign process is one of respect for the space’s history and optimism for its future. 310 S Main, a tower in the Broadway Business District of downtown Salt Lake City, has recently experienced some of those exciting changes. As tenants vacated due to the changing work landscape, the building’s owners saw an opportunity to make important changes to keep the building up-to-date and rethink its key areas for its upcoming decades.

Vacant suites were stripped back completely, exposing the building’s structure, in order for a full redesign that would create office spaces that are functional and optimized from the core to the finishes. The suites were originally covered in wall-to-wall carpet, acoustical ceiling tiles, and plaster, making them feel much smaller than they really were. After removing all of the clutter, we got to know the building, its structure, and its history to redesign the 9th floor space into a spec suite that was mindful of context.

We saw the essential character of the building in the industrial feel of the stripped-down space. After a detailed research process, we decided to lean into the space’s natural charm. We left the concrete floor exposed, and were selective about plaster and ceiling tile use, only using the materials when necessary for acoustics. We took the plaster off of the interior columns, allowing these elements to play a role in the visual language. 

We centered the suite around glass-walled offices that place managers at easy access points. Surrounding these rooms, large, open space is designed to serve as open office spaces, with different teams along the perimeter, each with equal access to the incredible views from the 9th floor vantage point. We took inspiration from some of the building’s most iconic architectural features to design the suite’s linear light fixture layout, along with the placement of the interior glass partitions..