Novato Civic Center City Administrative Office Building: A Sustainable Office Building in Novato’s Historic Site

Novato Civic Center City Administrative Office Building is a modern, sustainable office building housing administrative staff. It blends perfectly with a historic site in Novato, California, creating a cohesive Civic Center. This office building was designed by RMW Architecture & Interiors on an empty lot in Old Town connected to the historic City Hall provided by the City of Novato. It was seen as an ideal site to consolidate the office’s administrative staff.

When conducting the project, RMW encountered a challenge that required them to meet the expectation of the clients, who wanted a modern office building designed to attain LEED certification, without disregarding the residents’ wish to maintain the historical essence of the site in a form of the circa-1896 City Hall and Community House. Regardless, the firm was able to overcome the challenge by bringing out a gracious, LEED Silver Building that reflects its historic neighbors in an aesthetic and architectural way.

RMW used clapboard siding painted in the City’s signature red and a slate roof that matches the City Hall’s. These ideas allow the 23,000-square-foot building to merge with the historic site of Novato. Underground parking is used to minimize the building’s mass.

This parking area has permeable paving that allows it to be used as event space as well. Upon entering the building, the visitors can access the public lobby featuring a folding wall that opens onto the adjacent green.

Via RMW Architecture & Interiors