ENERGY RESOURCE CENTER

Downey, CA

Client: Southern California Gas Company
Location: Downey, CA
Scope: 60,000 sf 3-Story Office Building with Conference Center
Role: Architect

The Southern California Gas Company's Energy Resource Center has long been a testing ground for sustainable innovation. Home to the Hydrogen House and a hub for sustainable building events, the ERC embraces new ideas about healthy environments and forward-thinking design. When the pandemic shifted how people work, SoCalGas partnered with NCA Studio to reimagine their second-floor office space for a hybrid workforce—rethinking the office as a place for collaboration and well-being.

  • The 7,500 square-foot space had been a sea of grey cubicles, unwelcoming and unchanged for decades. The transformation introduced Activity Based Working principles: shared desks, varied settings for different types of work, and spaces that make people want to return.

     

    Natural wood tones, clear and frosted glass, new lighting, and a fresh white ceiling brought warmth and openness to the environment. The design extends the building's LEED certification commitment, prioritizing healthy materials and abundant natural light.

     

    The ground floor conference center, office spaces, and test kitchens are currently in development, continuing the center's evolution as a place where innovation and well-being shape the future of work.

  • General Contractor
    Dumarc Construction

    Furniture Vendor
    Tangram

    Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Engineers
    MEP California

    Structural Engineer
    Shane Sveiven

    Photographer
    Tanveer Badal

KCRW

Santa Monica, CA

All Work