1 West Santa Clara

Poised for Transformation

Post-pandemic, downtown San Jose has experienced a surge in students, young professionals, and tech companies, creating a strong demand for adaptable workspaces and innovative social environments. In response, Jay Paul made a strategic shift to reposition its workplace assets in the area, focusing on developing community-centered spaces while preserving the area’s unique character. At the heart of this transformation are Jay Paul Company’s existing downtown office buildings, which the team modernized in order to meet evolving market needs and heighten their relevance in a dynamic urban landscape. One such project in San Jose’s downtown core is One West Santa Clara.

Originating in 1946 as a bustling JC Penney’s store, the vacant brick structure was poised for a transformation that would seamlessly align it with the city’s ever-evolving, industrial character.

Our team embarked on the task of repositioning the building’s facade to harmonize with the surrounding urban tapestry and modernizing the interior for today’s workforce, while also taking care to minimize environmental impact and preserve the building’s historical significance.

One Building, Many Lives

The building’s inherent linear qualities provided a canvas for continuity, a connection between its interior and exterior identity. Throughout the project, our vision extended to details that pay homage to San Jose’s industrial legacy: Zinc accents seamlessly integrate natural material with the urban environment, the area’s historical brick heritage is represented, and the texture of the cladding takes center stage.

The new facade showcases modernity while underscoring the building’s innate raw materiality, a visual narrative of the city’s spirit of progression intertwined with preservation.

The entrance lobby serves as a focal point for this four-story structure. It opens to an inviting public atrium seamlessly connected to retail and amenity spaces.

On the interior, raw steel surrounded by existing, repurposed wood evokes a warm, inviting atmosphere with visual contrast and intrigue.

This adaptive reuse project introduces new workplaces for tenants as well as public amenities that contribute to the regeneration of downtown San Jose. Workspaces are found below ground and on the upper floors, along with a rooftop garden for tenants, where outdoor seating offers a communal environment that fosters stronger connections to the outdoors.

Taking advantage of the existing layout and structure, a central five-story atrium runs through the core of the building, bringing daylight into every floor. Accessible from the basement level, the atrium acts as a naturally ventilated passive garden at the center of the building.

The re-retrofitted atrium maximizes indirect daylight into every floor of the office building.

Responsibly Retrofitting

Designed to adhere to the most current sustainability and wellness standards, the project focuses on enhancing user experience and well-being. Strategic reuse of 80% of the existing building—including the foundation, steel structure, wood decks and concrete exterior walls—coupled with low carbon cladding, substantially reduced the embodied carbon of the building and construction activities.

Retrofitting and reusing buildings can be challenging since renovated buildings are, in most cases, still not as energy efficient as new buildings. In this case, facade upgrades including the replacement of the old curtain wall with high-performing Low-E glazing and the selective use of opaque cladding materials such as board-formed cement plaster and zinc metal panels ensured operational carbon emissions were lowered. Additionally, a reduction in glazed openings serves to boost the thermal performance of the building envelope. LED light fixtures and energy-star appliances further reduce the building’s energy use.

A user-friendly terrace at the roof level uses natural materials, patterns, and native landscaping to create a series of outdoor meeting and restorative spaces for users.

With the building’s southeast orientation, abundant daylight streams in through modulated floor-to-ceiling windows. Each bay is equipped with operable shading, which serves as conduits for natural light to cascade into the interiors and infuse its spaces with a newfound vitality. Targeted post-pandemic enhancements include the use of MERV 15 air filters, and differential pressure sensors for air quality monitoring with a bipolar ionization system to enhance the indoor air quality. Additional vent exhausts are provided in the common restrooms, and hands-free building entry access and restroom fixtures serve to reduce the spread of germs and disease.

Bringing new life to the 1940’s building with functional and eyecatching
architectural detailing

Evolving with the City

Nestled within the vibrant heart of downtown San Jose, One West Santa Clara has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis that captures the essence of Silicon Valley. Regenerating a vital transportation corridor, the building’s new façade, street furnishings, and plantings reinforce the city’s evolution towards a more robust, pedestrian environment. The repositioned building serves as a symbol of adaptive design, encapsulating the city’s dynamic blend of innovation and respect for its roots while establishing a deep link between interior and exterior spaces that promote sustainability, collaboration, and well-being.

Learn more about our work with Jay Paul in San Jose