The new 500 County Center in Redwood City sets a bold standard for civic architecture that unites people, place, and planet. Designed by SOM for San Mateo County, the H-shaped building bridges downtown’s commercial core with the civic campus, creating two welcoming public plazas and an active street frontage with a café, gym, and flexible gathering spaces. A bright glass lobby doubles as an event venue for the Board of Supervisors, signaling transparency and inviting the community to engage.
Sustainability as Everyday Experience
Inside, the workplace is a living model of low-carbon design and employee well-being. Cross-laminated timber, abundant natural light, and biophilic elements foster comfort while dramatically cutting embodied carbon. Narrow floorplates and internal stairs encourage movement and collaboration, while on-site solar arrays and high-performance shading target LEED Platinum and net-zero energy. The project team deployed a mass customization strategy for furniture solutions, allowing individuals and departments to select from within a broad set of guidelines to meet their unique needs. 500 County Center proves that a government headquarters can be both a dynamic workplace and a climate-positive landmark—an inspiring blueprint for architects, designers and sustainability leaders everywhere.
