Perfect blend

Johnson Health Tech offices match the scenery

By Dustin Block

If you look at Johnson Health Tech's new corporate offices in Cottage Grove from one angle, it's like the building isn't there.

Horizontal, muted earth colors across the back of the 179,200-square-foot office, showroom and warehouse blend in with the surrounding fields to create a soft imprint on the rural surroundings.

But from another angle, you can't miss the building's sharp, modern - if not downright funky - design. The playful structure is fronted with a burnt-orange façade that creates an attractive look for the corporate offices from the nearby freeway.

Both were effects planned and executed on the building by project manager and architect Paul Rushing and his team at The Kubala Washatko Architects Inc. Working with general contractor Newcomb Construction, Kubala Washatko designed the exterior using tilt-up concrete construction that could be shaped to avoid a typical big-box design.

Rushing said tilt-up concrete, which is similar to precast concrete, was central to making the building attractive and economical. Entire walls, including insulation, were poured at the construction site and then tilted into place.

	Project Name: Johnson Health Tech Corporate Offices Location: Cottage Grove Submitting Company: The Kubala Washatko Architects Inc., Cedarburg General Contractor: Newcomb Construction Co. Inc., Middleton Project Leaders: Kirk Lundgren, Kubala's project architect; Michelle Olsen, Kubala's interior designer; Paul Rushing, Kubala's project manager and architect Architect: The Kubala Washatko Architects Inc. Engineers: J.F. Ahern Co., Fond du Lac, HVAC, plumbing engineer; Specialized Electric Inc., Blue Mounds, electrical engineer; Vierbicher Associates Inc., Madison, civil engineer Owner: Johnson Health Tech North America, Cottage Grove Project Cost: $10.1 million Project Size: 179,200 square feet Start Date: June 2005 Completion Date: Fall 2006

The technique is common in California and Texas but is relatively new to the Midwest. Rushing said along with creating an attractive look for buildings, it also helps avoid the need to drive precast concrete slabs to a construction site.

"It's quite an appealing system," he said. "In the right hands, you can save a lot of money and come up with an appealing building."

He said precast concrete has a perfect look to it that makes buildings stand out from their surroundings, while tilt-up concrete is more elemental and blends better with the environment. The rustic look was what Rushing said he wanted for the Johnson Health Tech headquarters.

"Part of the reason it looks so good is that it isn't a perfect, pristine building," he said.

The natural feel of the building's exterior is amplified inside with natural light, curved hallways, and exposed ducts and support structures throughout to bring rawness and vitality to the work environment, said Rushing.

"If we had a design principle in the beginning, it was to bring in natural light," he said.

Kubala Washatko also designed a cafeteria that creates a relaxed, social atmosphere for employees, customers and visitors. Rushing gave credit for the design to Johnson Health Tech, which supported the approach from the start.

"It's about productivity," he said. "If people enjoy where they work and are comfortable there, they'll be more productive. It's something more companies should look at."