Project: BBVA Shell Office Building & Parking Garage
Finish Interior
The 22 story, 326,200 square foot building was one of the first new high-rise structures built in Houston’s uptown section near the Galleria in more than 30 years. In addition to receiving LEED gold certification, the BBVA Compass Plaza is the first project in Houston to make use of the city’s transit corridor ordinance, designed to enhance pedestrian access.
The Architect/Design team’s goal for the building was to build a class AA mixed-use, office/retail, building that has an upscale modern architectural feel. As you enter the lobby of the building you immediately see a combination of high end finishes and sense you are in a first class building.
The lobby floor has a unique combination of wood, glass tile floors with stainless steel inserts, stained concrete pavers and 2,000 square feet of Statuarietto Honed Marble from Italy. The walls in the lobby combine wood, glass tiles, and 1,200 square feet of Creama Genova Limestone from Spain. Even the multi-height ceilings combine wood and sheetrock.
With the multitude of different finishes in the lobby, coordination between trades became crucial. The 24 foot tall limestone walls were installed first and followed by the marble floors. The layout for the marble floors had to align perfectly while leaving spaces for other trades to install finishes such as wood and glass.
In addition to the limestone walls and the marble floors, CMS also set 44 Statuarietto marble vanity tops as well as a Statuarietto Security Desk and 1,700 square feet of Kaiser Brown marble pavers in nine elevator cabs. CMS was also responsible for the installation of porcelain tile in the core restrooms.
The combination of all the various finishes blends beautifully and gives this structure a modern, first class appeal. The end result is a very clean and precise installation and a stunning visual appearance.