News

23-and-me

Project Spotlight: 23andMe

 

About the same time that South Bay Construction completed an office tenant improvement (TI) job involving a four-story, 67,000-square-foot building in Mountain View for the leading personal genetics company, 23andMe (June 2015), 23andMe reached a major milestone in its business: it had genotyped more than one million people worldwide!

23andMe is a DNA analysis service providing information and tools for individuals to learn about and explore their DNA. All of the laboratory testing for 23andMe is done at a certified and accredited laboratory in the United States. The company’s Mountain View headquarters houses its executive, marketing and administrative staff plus scientists and research professionals.

 

23-and-me-construction

 

Founded in 2006, the company is growing and its new headquarters has a built-in feature to accommodate its growth; namely, office space on the first and second floors was carved out to sublet to other office-type occupiers on a short-term basis so that one day 23andMe can utilize the entire building.

One of the most challenging aspects of the TI project was that South Bay Construction (SBC) had a defined budget to stay within while conforming to the ultra-high end design features specified by the project architect. The most prominent features of 23andMe’s interiors are polished concrete floors, open ceilings and on floors three and four, floor-to-ceiling glass walls in ten rooms that are 3/8th of an inch thick. Inside these rooms SBC installed numerous marker boards made from Starphire glass for staff to share ideas in a collaborative yet quiet environment.

 

silicon-valley-construction

 

To offset the potentially “cool” interiors due to all the concrete and glass, wood and reclaimed wood products were installed in the entrance lobby, where Armstrong WoodWorks Grille panels with incorporated lighting were installed on the ceilings. Additionally, the company breakroom and cafeteria received wood paneling with an olive-ash veneer finish made by the architectural millwork company Mission Bell, while up the fourth floor, the conference room was trimmed with reclaimed barn wood. The conference room, where 23andMe’s executive board meets, is a space designed with warmth and comfort. The building also has an amazing rooftop deck that offers stunning views of Silicon Valley.

 

23-and-me-rooftop

 

As a Silicon Valley construction company, the most rewarding part of the job was that they delivered on the promise of getting one of the Valley’s rising tech stars into their biggest office space in the company’s young history. The space itself is light, bright and inspiring. SBC pulled it off with fantastic team work and input at all levels, from the client to the architect and construction manager to all of the subcontractors involved in 23andMe’s interior buildout.

Recent Posts

Clearing the Air: An Update on Title 24 CBSC Changes for 2023

If you didn’t live in San Francisco in the 1970s, it’s hard to imagine the smog. Check out some episodes of the hit crime drama Streets of San Francisco. In the city panorama shots, you can see smog conditions similar to the photo above.   Pretty awful, right? Los Angeles was even worse. Fast forward to ...

read more
The Biotech Boom: How the Life Sciences Industry is Driving Innovation in Northern California Construction

Biotechnology is a rapidly growing field that is transforming many industries, including the construction industry in Northern California. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of biotechnology in the construction of commercial buildings and infrastructure projects, with companies using biotech innovations to improve the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of their ...

read more
Top 10 Construction Trends to Watch in 2023

The San Francisco Bay Area has seen significant growth in construction projects over the years, reflecting many opportunities and challenges. Looking ahead, the industry continues to adapt to everything from long material lead times to rising costs and the impact of climate change. Let’s look at the top 10 trends for 2023 San Francisco Bay ...

read more
Get a quote

Get a Quote

Our team of design-build experts has over 40 years of experience in the construction industry — and therefore understands the ins and outs of the estimate process. We strongly believe in customer satisfaction and know that your time is important, so we provide accurate quotes in a timely fashion. If you're interested in getting a quote, contact us today.

Cost reference guide

Cost Reference Guide

Our Bay Area Cost Reference Guide provides up-to-date construction pricing and market data; it's a critical budgeting tool that can deliver conceptual estimates and that can save you both time and money.