Integrating Into the Environment: Live Oak Bank

Live Oak Bank

Call it serendipity if you like, but this project started with a bold vision, a lost dog, and a hidden forest tucked away in the heart of a city.

James S. “Chip” Mahan III founded Live Oak Bank in 2008 to provide small business loans to veterinarians. His mission was to “Empower the American Dream” by investing in his clients’ success, not only through financial resources but also through ongoing business education and resources for people he serves.

Chip’s commitment to helping people succeed extended to his employees as well as his clients.

As his business grew and expanded into other industries such as agriculture, pharmacy, and healthcare, Chip envisioned a headquarters for his employees that would embody the company’s values. He needed a campus that would reflect Live Oak’s distinctive ethos and create an excellent workplace.

When the company was looking for a site for its Wilmington, NC campus, Chip’s loyal but curious golden retriever led the way. The dog went on a solo adventure one evening which resulted in a major search effort. Just before the pup’s safe return, Chip came across a secluded pine forest tucked away near a vibrant neighborhood. The site turned out to be a virgin long leaf pine forest, pristine but ideally situated. Chip knew he’d found Live Oak Bank’s home.

Chip hired architecture, interiors, and planning firm LS3P to create a design for his first campus building, and challenged the architects to disturb the existing land as little as possible. The site held local history as well as beauty, including longleaf pines that still bore the markings of being tapped for their resin in the early 1900s for turpentine production. The site also sits adjacent to a wildlife conservation area which is a rare natural growing environment for the Venus Fly Trap.

The building’s form and concept were inspired by live oak trees, which filter light through their leaves and branches as they provide shelter.

The design roots the building into its environment so that, at Chip’s request, it “sits lightly on the land.” The exterior materials are authentic to eastern North Carolina, including the cypress siding that will gradually turn from rich brown to silvery grey as the building weathers.

To highlight the beauty of this material, the architects specified a clear sealant rather than a stain. The high-performance glass gently reflects the trees and coastal sky, and dark grey window frames almost seem to disappear to showcase spectacular views. Layered spaces such as shaded terraces, balconies, walkways, and decks further soften the boundaries between the interior and the landscape. Even the landscaping materials such as mulch pathways integrate with the natural site.

Live Oak Bank’s first building established the campus aesthetic and embraced the goal of making the building a fun place to work. With the existing site as a huge asset, the layout is organized into two long, slender wings with generous natural light and expansive views overlooking a live oak. A double-height lounge anchors the space and provides a central community gathering place. The 36,000 SF, twostory building houses about 75 employees with a mix of low, open workstations and a few enclosed offices with glass walls. Building amenities include a large kitchen and coffee bar, custom-made casual seating, a 50-seat tiered digital conference room, and a small fitness center.

The first building also established standards for campus sustainability, another key project priority. Preserving as many existing trees as possible maintains shade to create welcoming outdoor spaces and reduce the building’s heat load. Exterior aluminum solar shades and high-performance glazing also help to minimize solar heat gain, while electrically-operated interior shades allow occupants to control glare. The retention pond, a key component of the stormwater management strategy, has become a popular amenity with running trails and wildlife. Carefully selected river rock at the base of the building catches rainwater from the roof, preventing erosion and serving as a primary filtration surface.

Sustainability is important to Live Oak Bank’s employees, and a holistic approach to design reduces the building’s environmental impact, creates a healthier workplace environment, and lowers operating expenses over the long term.

The highly-efficient mechanical systems include a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system which runs only when needed and uses much less energy than standard on/off equipment. The VRF system also allows for temperature control in each individual office, workspace, or conference room, which is key to employee comfort. The generous glazing provides daylighting as well as views; artificial lighting is typically not required during the day, and occupancy sensors are set to turn off any necessary lights when a room has been vacant for 10 minutes.

It didn’t take long for word to spread about the company’s culture, values, and success, and this success translated into corporate growth.

Live Oak Bank steadily added markets and the staff to support them, and the campus was soon ready to expand its building footprint. The second building, once again designed by LS3P, reinforces the campus aesthetic with extensive use of wood, dark metal, and high-performance glass. The canted building gently wraps the lake and connects to Live Oak Bank I with covered walkways and inviting paths. The threestory building accommodates 210 employees and features a double-height lobby, outdoor lounge, balcony with seating, conference and collaboration space on every floor, and spacious open work areas.

The campus café creates another significant employee perk: rotating chefs serve up local, seasonal dishes geared towards both wellness and deliciousness. A dietician helps to create nourishing and healthy menus for the campus and for special events. The welcoming cafe is a popular gathering place which allows employees to relax, socialize, and share ideas in an informal but upscale setting.

As the campus continues to expand, the language of connectivity is increasingly important, and it shows up in the built environment. The site design includes multiple pedestrian paths of various materials such as brick pavers, ipe decking, and mulch. Inviting walkways connect the buildings to the parking areas, the offices to the recreation areas, and the employees to each other. These paths also link to the Gary Shell Cross-City Trail. Bike racks at the front of the buildings are used often by employees who take advantage of the City’s multi-use path. Additionally, technology allows teams to teleconference with clients around the country and employees at other office locations. This strategy not only minimizes the company’s environmental footprint by reducing travel, but also reinforces the company’s interconnectedness for authentic collaboration.

Live Oak Bank has just entered its second decade 500 employees strong. The company currently supports 30 different industries and 4,000 small business customers. To house its expanding teams of industry specialists and other staff, a third building designed by LS3P accommodating 400 employees has recently been completed. The four-story building echoes the materials and form of the existing architecture. Angled away from the curve of the lake to respond to the landscape, the building includes distinctive horizontal glass elements, an inhabitable inset square architectural element with a balcony overlooking the lake, tactile heavy timber columns, and generous glazing for daylight and views.

Interior spaces include an atrium, monumental stair, and a “stairtorium” feature which is used for both staff meetings and informal gatherings. The newest building is interconnected with the first two through the same system of brick paths, covered deck walkways, and shared campus amenities such as a new Fitpark.

The Fitpark encourages employee wellness with a light, airy, expansive workout space which prioritizes views to the outdoors. Employees also have access to a staff personal trainer who offers both group training and individual sessions onsite. The Fitpark wraps an adjacent 3.5 level parking garage which accommodates 560 cars. Together, the parking deck and Fitpark match the architectural language of the rest of the campus. A multi-story entry awning delineates the entry while sheltering wood accents beneath; the double heavy-timber awnings echo the structure of Live Oak Bank I to reinforce a sense of connection.

Original nature-inspired sculpture through the campuses is by local artist Dumay Gorham; salvaged site trees were re-imagined as original furniture under the guidance of interior designer Susan Bozeman.

As new buildings and amenities come online, Live Oak Bank continues to look towards an energized future with steady growth and expanding opportunities. Plans are well underway for a fourth office building, also designed by LS3P. The design introduces a verticality to the building form with a woodwrapped tower, exposed timber structure, and wood elements which slide through the entry volume to create framed campus views. The campus plan will eventually accommodate a fifth and sixth building across the lake.

Like the live oak trees which inspired the campus design, Live Oak Bank continues to thrive because it is deeply rooted. These deep roots are Live Oak Bank’s values, its culture, and its commitment to serving its clients and its community. Firmly committed to its core principles, the company continues to reach upward and outward, and its serene woodland campus will anchor it for the next generation of growth.

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