Light-filled lobbies, high ceilings and natural timber columns and beams throughout reflect the belief that well-designed spaces can bring people together and strengthen a sense of community.
“We wanted to create a space where people feel welcome, where people feel comfortable, where people feel they belong,” said former Supervisor Warren Slocum, who served on the building’s design committee. “Public spaces are community spaces and should be for everyone.”
That guiding principle will crystallize on Thursday, May 15, with a dedication ceremony for 500 County Center, the County’s new climate-conscious landmark.
Everyone who lives, works and enjoys San Mateo County is invited to “Celebrating Our Story,” a free event sponsored by the County and the San Mateo County History Museum.
The event begins at 5 p.m. on the steps of the domed 1910 Courthouse on Broadway in Redwood City with a reenactment of the county’s founding. The crowd will then proceed about a block to 500 County Center for the dedication as well as free activities for families and a DJ.
“It will be a beautiful evening to celebrate the county’s storied past, the possibilities of the future and to toast the renaissance of San Mateo County with family, friends, neighbors, free food, music and activities,” said David Canepa, president of the Board of Supervisors.
That renaissance is encapsulated in 500 County Center, a potent symbol that San Mateo County – with an economy greater in size than the state of Nebraska – is no longer in the shadows of San Francisco or San Jose.
Designing 500 County Center presented officials with a grand opportunity to define local government in the 21st Century. Gone are the low ceilings, cramped meeting rooms and dim fluorescent lighting that marked the Eisenhower-era Hall of Justice, home to County offices for decades.
Now visitors arrive in a lobby where light pours through banks of glass doors and windows. The ceiling rises to 18½ feet amid wood paneling and exposed wooden beams, giving a feeling of warmth and openness.
Entry to the chambers for the Board of Supervisors flows from the lobby. The chambers include 130 fixed seats for the public arrayed in two wide banks that slope gently downward to sets for elected officials and senior staff.
It’s also a civic building designed with resiliency in mind.
When County officials brought on Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), an architectural firm, the goal was ambitious: create “an iconic, forward-looking design that reflects the values of the community,” recalled Canepa, who with Slocum served on the design committee.
The result so far is seven prestigious awards for what is the first civic mass timber building in the U.S. designed to achieve net-zero energy. (That means the building produces as much energy from renewable sources as it consumes annually.)
“Every decision in construction detailing and structural design was motivated by the goal of diminishing the building’s carbon footprint,” said SOM Design Principal Javier Arizmendi, lead architect for the project. "This building is emblematic of the County’s commitment to environmental responsibility, and even more than that, it elevates the important work of the many people inside the building.”
The building features an H-shaped footprint — two wings joined by a central spine — creating twin civic plazas that anchor both the downtown and county campus sides of the site. This strategic form not only links two neighborhoods, but also allows daylight to reach deep into interior spaces.
A transparent central lobby serves as both a visual connector and an event space for the Board of Supervisors. Public-facing amenities like a café and multipurpose rooms activate the plazas. The climate control system automatically adjusts shades and windows to reduce reliance on mechanical cooling and heating, using cool night air to flush the building.
Materials like cross-laminate timber columns, beams and panels that the industry calls mass timber reduce the amount of carbon-hungry concrete and steel needed throughout.
The County and its design and construction partners are seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, the highest level of certification reserved for buildings that demonstrate leadership in sustainability and have implemented cutting-edge green building technologies and strategies.
“A traditional government building consists mainly of concrete and steel, all of which have a heavy environmental footprint," Canepa said.
“We felt we were at a place to turn the corner on the old way of doing things and show by example how to build a home for County government that reflects our community’s values of treading lightly on the planet with a design aesthetic that I think is truly beautiful to behold.”
Those interested in attending Thursday's Celebrating Our Story are encouraged to register for free tickets. This is not required but will help organizers plan for the crowd size. Register here.