When this outdoor apparel company set out to expand their Ventura, CA headquarters, they sought to design an environment with the same focus on responsible materials and practices they employ in making their own products. With 498 solar panels, storm-water runoff management systems, and a program to incentivize commuting by carpool, bike, skateboard, or public transit, their headquarters promotes wellness for both employees and the surrounding natural ecosystem. 

Because their ultimate goal is to get people outside, their outdoor space is an essential location for employees to meet, take a moment, and enjoy some fresh air. RAD worked with their design team to adapt RAD products to their brand, starting with our Slatted Wood Dining Table.

The Slatted Wood material series lends a warmth to its setting while retaining RAD’s emphasis on durability. While many outdoor woods are sourced from outside the US, RAD chose to work with Black Locust, the hardest domestically-grown hardwood used for exterior applications, which is known for its quick regeneration and sustainability. Unlike many wood species used outdoors, Black Locust offers a lighter golden wood tone with striking grain patterns. Because of its aesthetic qualities and sustainable attributes, RAD now offers Black Locust as a standard offering across its Signature Series. 

This project also highlights RAD’s flexibility in offering site and brand specific modification. The tables were built to a special length and designed to accommodate umbrellas, and paired with stackable Slatted Steel Dining Chairs, modified to exclude their characteristic handle.

Exposure to salt water or air with a high salt content may cause powder coat finishes that have been damaged by abrasion to blister due to oxidation of the metal. Due to their proximity to the ocean, a metalized primer was used to prevent future wear.