This project included a new two-story, 13,000-square-foot replacement building for the Corte Madera Town Hall, consolidating several town departments into one facility. The complex can accommodate 95 people and includes a public permit center, council chambers, administrative offices, and conference rooms.
The roof structure features exposed glulam beam framing through much of the space, with the council chambers highlighting an exposed steel cable tension truss. Due to the sloping site, the second floor and exterior plaza are at grade on the west side of the building, while the lower level daylights to the east. This required a retaining wall system surrounding the building on two sides as well as thoughtful replacement of the existing retaining wall that was present along one side. The foundations consist of a hybrid system of shallow spread footings in combination with pier and grade beams, which were coordinated with the geotechnical engineer based on the sloping bedrock throughout the site.
In the central portion of the upper level, a 2,500-square-foot public plaza serves as the main public entrance to the building. The City wished to preserve existing redwood trees in the plaza, which required the floor framing and supporting foundations to be designed to minimize impacts to the trees. Large holes in the floor framing accommodate the location of the trees, and footings with battered helical piles protect their roots. Other exterior work on the site involved modified slopes for the driveway and accessibility improvements.
The all-electric facility includes features that support zero net energy and zero net carbon as well as a photovoltaic solar and battery backup system.