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Project Type: Commercial

UAB Hilton Hotel

Lobby Rooms Grand Staircase Meeting Spaces Restaurant Outdoor Space

The renovation of the UAB Hilton created a clean, luxurious space with a professional and collegiate feel.

This project began as a lobby and staircase renovation and gradually expanded to the 14 floors of rooms and restaurant. Each facet of the project reflects the spirit of the University of Alabama at Birmingham while tying in elements of the surrounding city.

The lobby is often a university visitor’s first impression of Birmingham and of UAB, so the material palette uses black iron accents and UAB’s green to establish a strong connection to Birmingham—The Iron City—and to the university.

It was vital that our team incorporated the the same material palette and overall aesthetic throughout each floor of the hotel.

Lobby

Previously dark and dated, the renovated lobby features high-contrast textures and materials that create four defined zones of use: reception, café, lounge, and waiting.

High-quality furniture, textile selections, and custom wall graphics give each area a comfortable, friendly character.

Rooms

Updated finishes, wallcoverings, paint, rugs, furniture, and bathrooms create an accessible oasis with views of Birmingham. Headboards on the 11th floor were reupholstered with a green fabric. Our graphics department selected photographs for 13th floor rooms to incorporate UAB school spirit.

Grand Staircase

Seating at the bottom of the renovated grand staircase creates space for hotel guests, visitors, and event attendees to work or relax.

Meeting Spaces

From the grand staircase, guests are guided into a multi-purpose space that connects them to several adjacent rooms.

Event rooms on the bottom floor were transformed from dark, drab spaces into a luxurious energetic environment.

Benches throughout the multi-purpose event space were reupholstered and lighting arrangements were reused for cost effectiveness.

New fabrics, flooring, and paint throughout the corridor, meeting rooms, and banquet halls converted this space and tied in design elements from the lobby and hotel rooms using low-impact and cost-effective measures.

Restaurant

An upscale sports-themed restaurant for hotel guests to experience good food and the spirit of UAB.

The renovation of the hotel warranted a restaurant with a new edge. The restaurant’s previous finishes were swapped with custom wall graphics, new lighting fixtures, and wood finishes to establish a fine-dining environment.

Recessed light fixtures were selected to concentrate the lighting and cast shadows for a dramatic mood.

Color changing LED lighting above the bar, enables the owner to change the tone of the restaurant for late nights and events.

For the guests’ sports-watching needs, a large screen tv was installed along the custom sports graphic.

Artwork throughout the restaurant was condensed to promote a cohesive theme.

The client needed a way to close off the breakfast buffet during the day.

A new Faulk wall system with sliding doors and faux wood finishes was the ideal solution for the issue. Employees can easily slide the doors open and closed to fill, empty, and clean the buffet everyday.

The seamless installation ties in the wood finishes found throughout the lobby.

The client prompted us to reimagine their restaurant as
an upscale sports-themed experience that encapsulates the spirit of the UAB Blazers and promotes a
high-end experience.

Our graphic design team designed a new logo, menus, custom wall graphics, signage, and elevator wraps to inspire the interior design of the restaurant.

Outdoor Space

We added bright green canopies to provide shade on the outdoor deck and reference the UAB brand system.

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C Spire

C Spire’s office space combines a sleek, minimalist aesthetic with cutting-edge, integrated technology to create an environment that is both visually streamlined and highly functional.

The reception space blends modern luxury with comfort, featuring neutral tones, elegant light fixtures, and a layered ceiling design that defines the lounge area.

The spacious conference room boasts a beautiful tree-lined view, natural light, a sleek, high-gloss conference table, and suspended linear lighting fixtures.

Designed with technology at its core, a Cisco-powered PoE operating system controls the lighting, phones, window shades, occupancy sensors, monitors, and more.

The space features an intentionally exposed display of its technology infrastructure — elements are integrated into the design rather than hidden out of view.

C Spire, the design team, and Cisco collaborated to create a future-proof workplace with the most sophisticated technology available.

Staff spaces like the lounge area and cafe-style breakroom offer a warm, communal atmosphere with ample seating and pops of color.

Starburst pendant lighting, a bold accent wall, and artwork featuring the company’s customer-centric motto create an energizing space for informal meetings and social breaks.

Featuring a modern, minimalist design and advanced technology, the office offers superior connectivity and prioritizes energy efficiency to conserve resources while enhancing both employee and customer experiences.

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McLeod Software

McLeod Software, a transportation management and trucking software company, purchased a new building to bring all their employees under one roof and provide space for growth. This multi-tenant building was reworked into one space uniquely designed to showcase their brand identity and culture.

The inspiration for their new office space came from patterns and colors found in 18-wheeler trucks, roads and scenery that reflects the trucking industry.

  • LocationBirmingham, AL
  • Project Type
    Commercial
  • Size 80,000 SF

The space includes quiet rooms, conference rooms, classrooms for teaching seminars, and flexible spaces for consumer conferences.

With clients nationwide, McLeod Software required a versatile space for training, seminars, and both in-person and video conferences.

Equipped with multiple TV screens, the space offers numerous viewing angles and can be arranged in various configurations to navigate around columns and maximize capacity. A side servery and vestibule facilitiates convenient catering and a control room with a one-way viewing window allows for behind-the-scenes presentation management.

With its flexibility and 90-person capacity, the space is also an ideal event space for local organizations. Distinctive design features include repurposed truck doors on the servery, along with carpet, felt walls, and felt ceiling elements to improve the room’s acoustics.

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University of Alabama Capstone Learning Academy

For their faculty, staff, and students, The University of Alabama made it their mission to provide a nationally accredited child care program by partnering with KinderCare Education at Work.

The former Northington Elementary school provided the University of Alabama with a 15,733 SF space for classrooms and support spaces and a 6,358 SF covered outdoor space for a playground.

The renovated facility now provides five nationally accredited child care programs for 250 infants and children aged 6 weeks to 5 years.

Understanding the vitality of using every square foot with intention, our team conducted extensive programming assessments with the university.

 

Inside the front doors, tree-like structures, green sound-dampening panels, and colorful flooring provide a playful reception area and an indoor play area for children.

Our team was tasked with reflecting a neutral, calming environment in paint selections, flooring, and wooden accents.

Each room is catered to fit the children’s interests and needs. Hand-picked finishes make each room unique to its intended age group.

A set of three custom wall graphics were designed to differentiate the rooms.

CCR worked closely with KinderCare and the University of Alabama to ensure the safety of children attending the Capstone Learning Academy. Interior windows were high on the list of priorities to allow optimal transparency of the classrooms.

In the corridor, children are greeted with a custom wall graphic of an elephant family to allude to the native home of the University of Alabama mascot.

Felt sound-paneling elements and elephant wall graphics line the hallways to set the sub-Saharan tone in the remainder of the facility.

Once completed, The University of Alabama Capstone Learning Academy filled an immediate need for the staff, faculty, and students of the UA community. With an emphasis on early academics, physical activity, and emotional learning, the KinderCare partnership is sure to provide excellent child care for years to come.

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Total Dermatology

Total Dermatology is a full-service medical, surgical, and cosmetic clinic with a holistic approach to patient wellness.

The practice’s aesthetic spa, Total on 1st, is located on the first floor of the historic Woodward Building in downtown Birmingham. This project completed the renovation of the first floor and moved the dermatology office to the floors above.

Through elevated aesthetics and the alignment of functions, the design increases providers’ efficiency, enhances patient privacy, and creates an upscale, patient-focused experience.

Organic forms, calming colors, images of nature, and custom graphics create a soothing atmosphere for patients and staff. Acoustic panels divide large waiting rooms into smaller areas for a more comfortable experience.

Custom film featuring the practice’s flower logomark obstructs the view from public and staff spaces into patient spaces.

The design utilizes modular wall systems that allow future aesthetic and maintenance modifications that eliminate in-place construction.

Cabinets, cushioned benches with a storage drawer below, and wardrobes offer places for materials and patient belongings to be secure and tucked away.

Integrated TVs feature promotional advertisements and custom, writeable wall graphics provide a place to document important procedural information.

Corridor touchdown spaces have integrated locking cabinets for supplies and machinery and allow for efficient restocking of the exam rooms.

Staff spaces are tucked away from the patient areas and incorporate organic forms in curved furniture, soffits, lighting, and a custom-built conference table.

We worked closely with the client throughout the design process and provided renderings to communicate our ideas and aid in decision making.

The provider and staff offices have a clean, minimal aesthetic.

Using a combination of wood-look paneling and white panels that tie into the existing perimeter wall minimized expense and eliminated the long lead times and long construction times of traditional millwork.

A divider partition between the CEO and CFO offices provides options for privacy and quick collaboration in an otherwise limited space. Integrated whiteboards and a writeable film on the divider partition offer surfaces to brainstorm ideas and strategize.

A first-floor break room provides a space for Total on 1st and Total Dermatology staff to connect and recharge.

Guided by the philosophy that self-care is about health, not just cosmetics, the design of Total Dermatology’s medical office provides an upscale experience that prioritizes patients’ physical and emotional needs.

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Eventive Sports

A new tenant fit-out transformed Bruno Events into Eventive Sports. Their new, partially underground location in the Southstate Bank Building offered their staff an inviting office space with views of the exterior landscape and access to abundant natural light.

The rhythmic exposure of concrete, ceiling structures, and Eventive’s signature blue among the walls and flooring energize the office space and welcome a sense of industrial spaciousness.

The ceilings are adorned with undulating light fixtures and drop-pendant features which reinforce a sports-minded narrative.

These features serve as wayfinding methods to direct individuals through a mix of private offices and flexible collaborative team spaces.

Repurposed archival art can be found throughout the office space in coordinated framing and memorabilia display cases.

The pieces of history are meant to remind staff and their clients of the company’s successful past and present diverse event history.

A breakroom designed with entertainment in mind features televisions, putting green, and multiple seating arrangements for ultimate relaxation and reconnection.

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Phelps Dunbar

Prior to moving to the historic Massey Building, Phelps Dunbar’s office space was dark, with heavy wood walls and furniture.

The design of their new office space focuses on natural light, brighter finishes, and the firm’s branding.

Each floor in their suite is defined by a different experience: lobby and reception on the 10th floor, breakroom on the 9th floor, and the law library on the 8th floor.

To connect the three floors, we modernized an existing interior stair through glass railings and walls and stone-look tile.

The increased natural light and bright finishes deliver a sleek, professional aesthetic.

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UAB Early Learning Center

Operated by the university to offer employees safe, high-quality, and convenient on-campus child care, UAB’s new Early Learning Center was designed to accommodate over 200 children, which doubled the capacity of the previous facility.

The Early Learning Center includes 18,407 square feet of classroom and operational space and a 9,700-square-foot outdoor playground.

Centered around the outdoor playground and indoor play area, the design includes separate spaces for infant, toddler, and preschool age children.

The design of the indoor play area was inspired by a treehouse. A hollow, elevated area representing a tree trunk provides children a place to sit and look out to the activity on the outdoor playground.

Hanging acoustic panels represent the leaves of the tree and clouds. These panels soften the space, add color, and dampen the sound in this area.

Turf hills, ropes, and various hand and foot holds encourage safe climbing.

Nestled between the arms of the building, the outdoor playground is the heart of the facility.

The space is divided into two main play areas to accommodate different age groups and features shade structures throughout.

Surrounded by views from various classrooms and the indoor play area, the playground feels connected to the whole building.

The location of the playground creates a sense of activity throughout the building and allows for constant adult supervision.

Design decisions in the classrooms, including the custom wall graphics, were catered to each age group.

In the older classrooms, child-size bathroom stalls and hand washing stations give children a sense of independence while remaining in view of the teacher.

Additional amenities such as a car seat storage room, break room, and a wellness room provide spaces catered to support parents and staff.

Investing in this new facility and offering UAB faculty and staff discounted child care reflects the university’s dedication to supporting a positive work-life balance and commitment to the personal and professional success of its employees.

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Harmony Venture Labs

This vibrant office space supports a team of innovators, designers, marketers, and operators that launch, grow, and support startups.

The flexible co-working office environment makes it easy for companies of various sizes to work in pods and share amenity spaces.

Lighting, local art, comfortable spaces, and the preservation and modernization of this historic building were the focuses of the design.

We worked closely with the National Park Service during the historic preservation process to protect and maintain important aspects of the building such as wood timber framing (columns, beams, and joists) and exposed interior and exterior masonry with brick detailing.

In the main lobby, the luminous two-story atrium features sound-dampening light fixtures that symbolize the splitting and multiplication of ideas in the startup growth process.

Circulation and proximity to a variety of meeting spaces, coffee bars, and restrooms was important to the team. As a result, the office accommodates a wide range of work styles with spaces for collaboration and quiet, focused work.

Soda-blasting the wood structure and repointing the existing brick walls brought new life to this historic building. Blue tile, carpet, paint, and furniture pieces throughout the space reference the Harmony Venture Labs brand.

Amenities including a library, game room, cafeteria-style break room, and a covered rooftop lounge encourage team members to socialize, connect, and unwind.

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Pack Health

Pack Health provides personalized health coaching for individuals suffering with chronic illnesses or comorbidities influenced by mental health and lifestyle behaviors through a digital engagement platform.

Their company headquarters houses their health care advisors, programmers, developers, and other staff members that assist in running the Pack Health platform.

In addition to open office, break rooms, and conference rooms, the space includes a full-scale professional soundstage to support their full-service creative department and provide a studio for companies and freelancers to rent.

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