Anton DevCo office in ICE Block 1 | Sacramento

The new ICE Block 1 midrise office building in Sacramento’s historic R Street corridor blends a historic aura with modern design. As such, designers at RMW Architecture & Interiors knew that its tenants would need an impeccable sense of style to match the building’s aesthetic.

Anton DevCo, a California-based multifamily housing developer, was up to the challenge. The company opened its second California office at the ICE Block 1 building in fall 2018. Anton DevCo leases approximately 4,555 ft² (423 m²) on the second floor of the four-story timber-frame structure.

ICE Block 1 is on the site of a former ice and cold storage facility that was destroyed by a fire in 2015. The new building complements the warehouse area’s rebirth as a trendy, mixed-use district on the edge of midtown Sacramento. The first floor of the building is retail and restaurants, while the top three floors are occupied by offices.

The building rises out of the ground from an exposed concrete podium, then springs into the sky above the second floor, supported by laminated mass timber framing, bolted together with raw steel connectors and fir decking at the floor levels. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls display the interior wood framing within, effectively marrying the office interiors with the street scene.

Tenant agreement guidelines restrict positioning office walls along the exterior glass line in order to keep the entire building open and transparent. Offices are positioned in interior space and open work stations are situated along the windows.

The same focus on details is reflected in Anton DevCo’s selection of REHAU's matte surface for cabinets in the employee café area and in a conference room adjacent to the lobby, as well as RAUVISIO terra™ East Elm from REHAU for cabinets and a bar-height island in the café.

Vanessa Garza, development manager at Anton DevCo, says the company asked the project architect, RMW (which also designed the entire building), for something modern and durable. “We were looking for a modern aesthetic, but something that was of very high quality. The REHAU products delivered on both fronts.”

Kevin Morgan, director of interiors for RMW’s Sacramento studio, says his company’s materials librarian was introduced to REHAU surfaces shortly before the ICE Block 1 project was initiated. The unique finishes and rich, yet neutral colors made them an ideal match for the wood interior of the ICE Block building.

“We really like the finish and the texture of the REHAU products,” says Morgan, who served as the lead interior designer on the Anton project. “The touch and feel is smooth, with tight joints and seams. It really looks nice as you turn the corner and enter the room. Plus, the fact that it’s a product that is finished and ready to go was attractive.”

Break-room areas can be notoriously difficult to keep clean. RAUVISIO terra is an extremely durable deeply textured wood grain surface, made from HPL rather than melamine paper. The super opaque matte material is an innovative interior design product that combines an elegant look with state-of-the-art technological performance. Both provide a modern surface that doesn’t require constant maintenance and cleaning.

California Cabinets & Store Fixture, Inc. made the cabinets. Aaron Williams, production manager at the company, says it was the first time he worked with REHAU surfaces, but he’s already using them for cabinets in a second office in the same building.

“I like the richness of the color and the deep hues that make the product feel classy and bold,” Williams says. “I also like the color’s thickness and the fact that it’s consistent throughout.”

Morgan, too, says he is “very pleased with the outcome” of his first use of REHAU surfaces and looks forward to using them in future projects.