GFRC panel fabrication drawings for Sony Pictures Scenic Arts Building in Culver City

The Sony Pictures Scenic Arts Building, the iconic art hub originally constructed in the 1930s, had to undergo a significant transformation to preserve its historical significance while adapting to modern needs. Thus, an ambitious renovation project started to repurpose the structure.

The renovation aimed at emphasizing sustainability and modernity — with a smart-designed facade being a highlight, maximizing natural light, and improving energy consumption. The ORIGIN team was honored to play its part in this initiative, delivering detailed manufacturing drawings for the facade system to maximize production efficiency during the renovation.

Input: Architectural and structural model

Project deliverables: Manufacturing drawings

The facade of the Sony Pictures Scenic Arts building features a unitized GFRC cladding system, where each unit is insulated, self-supporting, and independently attached to the building structure. Many panels incorporate window openings, balancing functionality and aesthetics.

Each panel comprises:

• Steel frame — a sturdy structure supporting the panel and ensuring durability;
• GFRC skin — a lightweight, reinforced concrete shell offering weather resistance and a distinct finish;
• Flexible attachment mechanism — a specialized mechanism securing the GFRC skin to the frame, allowing movement from thermal or structural stresses without compromising stability.

Assembled off-site in a controlled environment, the panels — up to 20 feet tall — underwent meticulous fabrication for precision and quality. After that, they were transported and installed on-site. This approach enhanced efficiency and reduced construction disruption.

To provide context on the façade construction, the steel frames of the GFRC panels were designed with a combination of hot-rolled profiles for the outer contour and light gauge steel (LGS) profiles for the inner structure. This hybrid approach balances the structural strength of hot-rolled steel with the lightweight and customizable features of LGS profiles. ORIGIN experts developed the detailed drawings based on the provided design, ensuring precise execution and seamless integration of materials.

Within the project scope, ORIGIN also delivered detailed specifications for the GFRC cladding panels and steel frames as required. The set of drawings focused on the GFRC skin, while frame drawings highlighted the steel details.

To optimize drawing production time and automate repetitive tasks, we employed various strategies, utilizing add-ons and plug-ins in our software. This automation minimized manual work, ensured consistency across the drawings, and reduced the potential for human error — thus improving efficiency and keeping the project on schedule.

As a result, we achieved a set of accurate, ready-for-fabrication drawings that streamlined the production of the cladding system.