Merrill Corporation wanted a design that melded the sleek, international feel of their downtown Houston location with the surrounding lush, established landscape. Located in what was once the Houston convention center, the offices occupy space on both the first and second floors. The first floor, with approximately 11,000 square feet, is primarily dedicated to open office, offices and a large printing center. The second floor, also approximately 11,000 square feet, consists primarily of the main lobby, conference rooms, library and the lounge/dining area.
One of the most outstanding attributes of the building is the magnificent century old Live Oak trees that dominate the site. The second floor has twenty-foot ceilings and enormous walls of glass creating the feeling of actually being in the trees. Because of this feature, all of the conference rooms were located to take full advantage of the trees and the views of the Houston skyline. A design inspired by nature was selected by the team, which led to a cooler palette with materials such as bamboo, white oak, back painted white glass and a feature wave wall. The interiors blend with the surrounding natural elements creating an organic, clean and sophisticated environment.
