First Financial Credit Union_hero

Office + Workplace

Don't call it a bank

First Financial Credit Union Office Building

First Financial Credit Union (FFCU) has been serving the community for over 80 years and during that time it has adapted alongside its members, staff, and the ever-evolving marketplace.

Delivered as a design-build contract, this project resulted in a new headquarters for FFCU administrative staff and a branch to serve the renaissance area in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

 

The site of FFCU's new office building is perched at the edge of a mesa and provides unobstructed views of the valley to the west, and mountains to the east. Open office areas are located along the exterior of the building with enclosed offices and support spaces clustered closer to the core. This offers views of vistas and natural lighting to all employees.

DPS's Building Performance Analysis Team (BPAT) ran computer simulations on the design to understand the impacts of the environment. The results of this process directly translated into durable decisions on the building's performance and occupant comfort.

This design strategy was new to the owner and even some of the consultants. The ability to test, adapt, and test again, proved its worth to all parties as we were able to throw multiple options into the models and quickly determine any net gains.

Through this process, we understood the building envelope was performing very well, and that there was a need for solar control. Sun shading devices and Sage Glass (electrochromic glazing) were incorporated and these additions to the design were offset by the reduced need for lighting and cooling loads, in order to stay within the budget.

FFCU's new office building provides a bright, collaborative, and effective work environment to better serve clientele.

Client
First Financial Credit Union

Location
Albuquerque, NM

Size
25,001-50,000 sf

Disciplines

Beyond the Building

  • Building Performance
  • Community Benefit
  • Experience Redefined
  • Mission Support
  • Organizational Culture
  • Rightsizing
  • Sustainability

 

First Financial Credit Union_Anchor