KMA was honored to have been featured in a Buildings magazine story on new trends in corporate interiors. Among the top trends: benching systems, collaborative spaces and glass walls. Open office layouts like KMA's continue to rise in popularity and keep companies, especially those in creative and high-tech industries, competitive with trendsetting design elements, areas for socializing and flexible spaces. Below is an excerpt from the article and click here for the full story.

No private offices were included in this layout for KMA Architecture. Small nooks provide areas to collaborate in addition to a central conference room. Screens provide visual privacy between workstations.

Situated in a renovated military barracks, this 4,800-square-foot space has a little of everything - conference rooms, casual seating areas, and benching. What's not present is a single private office.

"This layout enabled the open office model we had been trying to achieve in our former space," says Rich Guerena, senior associate and project architect for KMA Architecture.

Height-adjustable workstations provide generous space for KMA's nine employees while screens offer visual privacy. Touchdown areas and drafting tables are placed along a bank of large windows for optimal natural light.

Demountable walls create areas for storage, printing, and teamwork. Even the conference room is subject to the open office concept, with its top walls lower than the ceiling. Carpet tiles help to maintain suitable acoustic levels in the space.

Thermal comfort is aided by operable windows and mechanical ventilation, as a traditional cooling system isn't needed for this San Diego office. The firm plans to install low velocity ceiling fans in the future.

"Most of us are LEED accredited professionals, so we love being in a historic building that's repurposed. Being able to have a sustainable space was a big draw for us," explains Tim Rubesh, principal.

With a growing list of retail center renovations in the KMA Architecture portfolio, such as our latest project for H.G. Fenton in National City pictured above, staying on top of industry trends is important to our team. We are always looking for new ways to create value for our client so we sent firm Principal Tim Rubesh to Las Vegas to track the latest innovations and issues at the International Council of Shopping Centers RECon 2014, the industry's largest convention.

With more than 32,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors, the halls were buzzing with people, booths were brimming with information about new products and services and cocktail receptions provided a great backdrop for networking. The show offered opportunities for establishing new connections and gaining knowledge directly from owners, managers and industry experts.

What was Tim's greatest take away from the event? The inspiration acquired from learning what is happening in the industry on a national scale and the importance of incorporating that insight and fresh ideas into projects here at home.

Most importantly, his experience cemented that KMA is leading clients and projects in the right direction. The firm is proven at strategically transforming outdated retail facilities into modern day centers of commerce that attract desirable tenants and demand higher lease rates.

If you'd like more information or case studies about KMA's expertise in retail center renovations, contact Tim Rubesh at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (619) 275-7403.