Golden State Lumber

Project Details

Project Description

Golden State Lumber has been providing lumber and building products to builders and buyers across Northern California since 1954, and in early 2018, the company’s service was elevated with the addition of a new showroom, retail space, and areas for employees to work and engage in conversation with one another. When Seth Nobmann, third generation owner of the company, wanted to create this new showroom and retail space fitting for DIYers and professionals alike, he turned to award-winning, Alameda, California-based architecture firm MBH Architects and tasked the team with the ground-up construction of a new home in Concord, California. The 75,500-square-foot space houses a retail area, showroom, offices, and an indoor lumberyard displaying all products available to customers. The opening marked the first indoor drive-through lumberyard located on the West Coast. The basis of MBH Architects’ concept was to take this industrial building and turn it into a well-suited space made to fulfill the needs of local consumers and Golden State Lumber staffers. To do this, MBH implemented simple materials with different colors and patterns in varying scales to express and encourage movement throughout the various spaces. Each room conveys a different feeling and experience as the color schemes shift as customers and employees move about. Colors paying homage to the Golden State Lumber logo, a subtle red, are also found throughout the the many areas, including in details like the steel shelving in the indoor lumberyard. Designed to suit the needs of the community, the drive-through indoor lumberyard was developed with a full retail center and showroom in addition to open sales areas and administration offices. The lumber storage and delivery area, which due to heat and dust are enclosed in a prefabricated drive through shed, allow customers the ability to drive a car or truck directly into the space for easy access. Inside, custom racking systems were built and Big Ass Fans were installed to promote natural cooling. To round out the space, skylights by Velux were installed to provide patterned natural light. Attached to the shed is a fully covered delivery pick up and drop off section for larger trucks. This area features a metal roof, skylights for natural light, and tunnel fans used to keep air moving along the long length of the delivery zone. The shed and delivery zones were carefully designed to acoustically protect neighbors from noise and dust. Additional highlights include 10 innovative, industrial forklifts powered by solar panels and an exterior lined with a combination of Centria & MBCI metal panels. Each design element selected was made with the intent to create a space that could continuously evolve to serve the ever-changing needs of the Golden State Lumber’s staff and clientele. Although traditional lumberyards are meant to serve a single function, wood storage, Golden State Lumber was strategically designed to do much more than that— it is a space that is meant for showcasing product, educating consumers, and supporting staff. Serving everyone from homeowners to professional builders, the retail and showroom space provides design assistance to clients and carries an impressive variety of products, including lumber, hardware, trimming, doors, windows, and various specialty-building goods. In order to provide exceptional service to customers, the heart of the building features office space that allows the Golden State Lumber team to sit down and meet with homeowners and potential clients to discuss their design needs. On the second floor, operational office space, suitable for 40 employees, features open workstations, a conference room, and a lounge. Outside, the parking lot is separated from the main yard by a custom, laser-cut fence that was implemented to enhance security. The laser-cut oxidizing steel was inspired by the end of an old tree, serving both as an aesthetic and safety function. Security can view the drive-through lumberyard through the trees’ annual rings, allowing visitors to feel at ease that their property will guarded while they shop. Describe the project goals and how metal was used to achieve these goals: MBH Architects wanted wanted to update the typical lumberyard and turn it into a modern destination that spoke to honesty, longevity, and quality. Additionally, the team worked with the goal to design a space that that would continuously serve the community and would last for generations to come. The initial design concept included both an indoor and outdoor lumberyard. However, the team faced objections from the public during the planning review phase, with concerns such as the amount of dust and noise that could generate from typical outdoor lumberyard operations. Additionally, there were hesitations that a lumberyard would not fit in aesthetically with the surrounding community, which consisted mostly of office buildings. To address these concerns, the design team opted to create an elevated indoor lumberyard experience that caters to a variety of clientele while settling any uneasiness from the public. As the lumberyard was being built, the project team’s first thought was to implement wood throughout. As they further developed the design concept, MBH Architects opted to use a steel construction complemented by a metal exterior. Steel and metal siding offered the modernized look that the project team wanted while providing the building with a sense of durability and permanency. A metal-insulated aluminum panel system along with corrugated siding lend an industrial feel to the project while still allowing the building to be broken down into smaller segments. The project team attempted to divide the building to appropriate scale and variation for the neighborhood. In doing so, the team paid attention to exterior materials to express the function of the interiors. For example, clients can easily discern where retail sales contrast with lumber storage. Some of the longer elevations incorporated patchwork pattern of siding using carefully balanced colors and corrugation patterns. This was inspired and distilled from old warehouses and trainyards, evoking generations of durable honest work-ethic. Metal paneling and siding, metal roofs, and steel frames found throughout Golden State Lumber bring the project to life with a cohesive material scheme.