The Offices at Haggard Farms
Project Stats
- Location
Plano, Texas
- Size
220,200 GSF
- Market
- Expertise
A Community Legacy Inspired by a Farm History
When the Haggard family decided to develop one of their last parcels of land, they put their legacy in Corgan’s hands. Working with Stillwater Capital Investments, Corgan provided speculative designs for an office complex at the 142-acre site in Plano, Texas.
Developers envision an active office campus for their tenants and employees that is also inviting to the neighborhood. The proposed mixed-use development will blend into its surroundings and pay homage to the city’s agrarian roots. The new Haggard Farms will eventually include specialty retail, a farm-to-table restaurant, a boutique hotel, multifamily units, townhomes, trails, and a park.
Corgan initially created three plans, each with an office building, event hall, parking structure, and outdoor spaces. Working with the rest of the project team and listening to area residents at town hall meetings, Corgan presented a final design representative of a low-scale, modern farmhouse – a good neighbor with an inviting yard - providing alluring landscapes, activated spaces, daytime and nighttime views, and walkability.
A Modern Farmhouse and Garden
Inspired by the word tillage, or the preparation of farmland and the forms it creates, Corgan’s design depicts elevated agricultural authenticity in its two-winged, 105,000-square-foot office building. The 75,000 square-foot main wing encompasses three-stories, a series of gabled roofs, proportionally consistent vertical fenestrations, and large glazed views. Visible patterning is expressed in the building’s facade and carries through onto the concrete pavers and planters of the main plaza. A rainwater capture system allows water to flow over the unpainted concrete façade evoking a tranquil garden environment. The addition of shade trees and an inviting, lush grass yard provides a sense of security, balances the tillage expression, and reinforces a connection to nature.
The 30,000-square-foot east wing is inspired by historic Texas dance halls - open, welcoming, and voluminous. The pre-engineered, two-story steel building has an unfinished metal façade and is reminiscent of a farm silo, providing further visual interest. Decomposed granite trails pay tribute to the Haggard Farm of the past. Downlighting provides a subdued glow to the architecture, softening the complex’s appearance and inviting pedestrian exploration in the evening.
The final portion of Corgan’s design includes a 115,200 square-foot parking garage. Zoning requirements call for a façade that integrates building design and is no taller than the buildings, or 45-feet in height. Corgan continues the tillage-patterned design on the low-rise garage’s façade, mirroring the office building. The parking structure faces inward, creating an open, three-sided courtyard, reinforcing the human scale and providing another outdoor space for employees and visitors to meet or meditate.
A muted color palette of light greys complements the landscape throughout the office campus, allowing nature to remain the central focus. By using simple materials, fixtures, and textures throughout, such as wood, glazing, concrete, and metal panels, the grounds are stylishly utilitarian, instilling a sense of place and history, and serving as backdrops to the natural elements.
Enhancing Design to Adjust to Changing Needs
During the design development phase, the client secured a tenant who wanted to occupy a majority of the building in the proposed event space. The tenant was drawn to the high-vaulted ceiling but wanted more separated spaces. Corgan adjusted the design by adding a second floor, conference rooms, and more gathering spaces.
Designers called for a tilt-up construction method for the office building, saving expense and enhancing design.
Saving Time and Resources
Designers set a goal from the outset to employ affordable materials and methods without compromising on design. The use of a brick form liner in the tilt-up construction of a portion of the office building provides a cost-effective and artistic method to express the tillage patterning.
The pre-engineered metal building (PEMB), composed of a highly durable steel frame, roof, and wall panels, is sustainable and cost-effective. Its design evokes a grain storage silo and further enhances the farm aesthetic.
Working with stakeholders, Corgan provided a modern and sophisticated farmhouse-inspired office complex that artfully pays tribute to the historical contribution of the Haggard family and a city that has benefited from its agricultural past.
