Name: Deborah Balderston
Firm: LCA; Boise, ID
Client: AAA of Idaho; Boise, ID

This mixed office and retail space focuses on preserving the century old trademark for this travel agency while providing an upbeat, contemporary, technologically styled design with the goal of attracting new clientele without sacrificing the existing customer base. By designing a fresh new look that incorporates the bright red logo as focal points and an exterior curving façade that represents the open roads and rolling hills in America, the agency has blended their historic reputation with the amenities they offer for today's travelers. The central spine of the building is a white steel structure that is an abstract version of the company logo, and is supported by a bright red colonnade. This spine encloses an atrium between the travel agency and other leaseable office space. Finishes in the atrium are brick veneer, natural concrete, porcelain tile flooring and red wall sconces. Inside the travel agency, custom carpeting is used with the company's logo and images of different travel modes to anchor the space. Custom "street" signs and suspended "clouds" mark departments and services and assist travelers in way-finding. Indirect lighting brightens workspaces without creating glare and the retail area features suspended MR16 lighting which spotlight products for sale. Extra attention was given to incorporate the company color without over stimulating either the employee or customer thus red is seen throughout the facility in small quantities. Other accents of blues, greens and grays serve to offset the intensity of the red. The break room cabinetry is finished in a laminate that is an abstract view of the earth taken from afar; this detail encourages employees to remember why they are in the travel industry. Glass tile, representing the sand of the earth, accents the support columns in muted colors of green and blue. This tile is set into maple panels that clad the support columns. Maple slat wall is used for display in the retail area. The objectives were met by producing a design that preserves the integrity of an established logo, is highly visible and attracts the use of this agency for new and existing clientele.

The square footage of the building is 14,625 S.F. and a final budget of $1,230,000.00. The square footage for the travel agency and atrium is approximately 9,300 S.F. Completion date was January 21, 2002.