the designers workspace - ultimate office design

THE

DESIGNERS WORKSPACE:ULTIMATE OFFICE DESIGN

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THE

DESIGNERSWORKSPACE:ULTIMATE OFFICE DESIGN

Douglas B. Caywood, Associate AIA, CSI, CDT

Architectural PressAn imprint of ElsevierLinacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP200 Wheeler Road, Burlington MA 01803

First published 2004

Copyright # 2004, All rights reserved

The right of Douglas B. Caywood to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted inaccordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing inany medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of thispublication) without the written permission of the copyright holder except in accordance with the provisionsof the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the CopyrightLicensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, England W1T 4LP. Applications for the copyrightholders written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher

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ISBN 0 7506 5739 1

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Part One: Small Firms (1^19 employees)

Part Two: Medium Sized Firms (20^49 employees)

Part Three: Large Firms (50 employees and larger)

Reality of Design Overview

Workspace Design Checklist

Design Approach

Where to Begin?

Restoration or Adaptive Reuse

Interior Design

Landscape Architecture

To Do Or Not To Do

After the Move . . .

Graphics for Todays Firm ^ Lasting Impressions

Conclusion

v

small

firms

medium

size firms

large

firms

archimania 01Architects Wells Kastner Schipper 02

Augusto Quijano Arquitectos 03Blue Sky Architecture 04

Randy Brown Architects 05Bullock, Smith & Partners ^ Nashville 06

Dasic Architects, Inc. 07Elliott + Associates Architects 08

Gentile Holloway OMahoney & Associates 09Joyce Signs 10

Odle and Young Architects 11Serrao Design/Architecture 12

Spiral Co., Ltd. 13Watson Tate Savory Architects 14

Wexler/Kollman 15

Architecture Project 16Ashton Raggatt McDougall ^ ARM 17

Babey Moulton Jue & Booth 18The Berger Partnership 19

Bullock, Smith & Partners ^ Knoxville 20Canizaro Cawthon Davis 21

CIVITAS, Inc. 22EDAW, Inc. 23

Steven Ehrlich Architects 24Everton Oglesby Askew Architects 25

Frederick Fisher and Partners Architects 26Hans van Heeswijk architecten 27

HMC Architects 28Lavallee/Brensinger Architects 29

Manasc Isaac Architects 30McCarty Holsaple McCarty 31

Norris Dullea 32Office of Michael Rosenfeld Architects 33

Semple Brown Design 34TRO ^ The Ritchie Organization 35

Tuck Hinton Architects 36Witsell Evans Rasco 37

BNIM Architects 38Centerbrook Architects and Planners 39

DAdda, Lorenzini, Vigorelli 40Flad & Associates 41

Hassell 42LandDesign 43

Looney Ricks Kiss Architects 44Marc-Michaels Interior Design 45

PAVLIK Design Team 46Pollard Thomas & Edwards Architects 47

RTKL 48SWA 49

Zimmer Gunsul Frasca 50

vi

Acknowledgements

From a mere idea stated during the programmingstage of our own offices to the release of the finalmanuscript, there have been so many individualsand institutions I would like to thank for theirsupport and/or encouragement.

Alison Yates and Elizabeth Whiting, for theircontinued support and help in establishing thecontracts, approval of this endeavor, answeringof numerous questions, and reviews of material;Ross/Fowler, P.C. ^ Charles Ross II, AIA andMike Fowler, ASLA, for their support andestablishment of the idea for this book during themove of our firm to a new location; Kathy Proctor,FCSI, CDT, for a review from the academiaperspective; Andrew P. Powers, AIA, for a reviewfrom an architectural perspective; Danielle CulpMathews for a review from an interior designperspective; contacts through the University ofTennessee College of Architecture and Design;Dean Marleen K. Davis at the University ofTennessee College of Architecture for herrecommendations; David Smith, CDT for hisinvolvement in graphic layout; Mark DeKay, forhis advice from previous author/publisheragreements; Christy Lane for her assistance inmailings and firm correspondence; Jill Humberdfor assistance in reviewing the final proofs; myparents, Donald and Nancy Caywood, for theirpatience and support during 2002; my familyand friends for their continued encouragement;and to a long list of those who gaverecommendations and provided submissionsthroughout this book.

I would like to thank each participating firm for thetime, effort, and information that you have providedthroughout this process. With minor editing, thisbook includes text and photography receivedfrom each firm, including firm description andconcept statements. For layout and editingpurposes, original text from each firm may havebeen manipulated with careful interpretation so asto not change intent by each firm. Each firm wasgiven proofs for layout, text, and credits for theirapproval.

And, in conclusion, I would like to give praise andhonor to God for the strength and time He hasgiven me to produce this publication.

I can do all things throughChrist who strengthens me.Philippians 4:13

Ross/Fowler Lobby

Ross/Fowler Gallery

Ross/Fowler Large Conference

Ross/Fowler Studio Layout Ross/FowlerSmall Conference

vii

Is there an ultimate layout for a designprofessionals office? The likelihood of adesigner answering yes to this question is quitehigh, but, with the variety of design solutions tofollow, it is apparent that ultimate takes on avery individualistic meaning for each firm.

While working in a firm that made the decisionthat we had outgrown the historic Ely building indowntown Knoxville, Tennessee, researchbegan for a new location. What type ofbuilding were we searching for? Was ourintention to attempt an adaptive reuse orrenovation? How much new space wasneeded? What financial stipulations areinvolved? What image will the new designstudio reveal about our design philosophy?

These are only a sample of the questions thatran through the minds of the staff of our firm. Asthe research and schematic design began, wefound numerous resources on office design, theat-home office, and various other offices fordifferent project types ^ what we did not findwas an extensive technical and image resourcethat included only the offices of designers andwhat differentiates a designers office from anyother type of office. Throughout the world,architects and interior designers work eachday on office designs for their clients. TheDesigners Workspace: Ultimate OfficeDesign will begin to describe the uniqueattributes of a designers office and featurevarious firms throughout the world and howthey have solved the ultimate office designopportunity.

First, we must decide who is the client for whichour office is to be designed ^ our employees,our clients or our CPA? Do we use our office tomarket our design talents? Do we create aspace that can help our employees do theirjob? In this case, should the goal be to inspirethe designer ^ or be as efficient as possible.

With many different goals present, this canpresent a complex design problem for each firm.

From the first impressions at the reception areaand lobby, to the appeal of the meeting areas,or the functionality and sleekness of the designstudio itself, the designers office can be quiteunique in style, function, and character. Thisuniqueness is also exemplified as spaces anddesign solutions vary from culture to culture.

The imagery of a design firm begins with the firstimpressions a client has of the lobby and thereception area. First impressions are lastingimpressions and are hard to overcome, thus theimpact of a design firm begins as a client walksthrough the door. Who are your clients and howcan you design for them?

Is the firms graphic or logo prominentlypositioned? Is the entry space unique to thefirm? Is the lobby spacious? Is the firms imagewell articulated? Is it cutting-edge or timeless? Isit lighthearted or serious-minded? This list couldbe quite exhaustive as the client or a new recruitstores mental images and perceptions of thedesigner and the work the firm is producing.Are your clients very conservative or will theyappreciate the firms innovative use of materials,connections, lighting, etc? It is important for thefirm to concentrate on who their target clientaudience may be now, as well as in the future.

This space may also be a prelude to an awardsor project display showcasing the firmsrecent achievements and/or current projects.This aspect of a firms public area may be oneof the key distinctions of a designers office, incontrast to a typical businesss lobby area,which may remain static. Designers are alwaysdesigning ^ keeping ideas and images fresh.

thedesignersworkspace

ultimateofficedesign

Introduction

Ely Building

Knoxville, TN

viii

This element of a design firm can be constantlyevolving, as projects progress from the colorrendering to the final photography of thecompleted project, to an award received forthe design. Each firm can tell their life story invery unique ways through these displays.Through the rest of this book, you will see alarge variety of ways in which projects aredisplayed and how the firms space greets thevisitor.

Meeting areas are also unique as thedesigner requires multiple forms of media forpresentations. From a wall surface fordisplaying large format drawings to asurround sound video presentation of ananimation, meeting areas may take on manydifferent roles. Flexibility and hands-on-accessto various forms of media are key in adesigners typical day. Not only areconference rooms needed for clientpresentations, but these rooms may alsofacilitate design charettes within the office,large format layout reviews, business/marketing meetings, videoconferencing withnational and/or international affiliations,consultant reviews, product presentations byvendors and manufacturers, cocktail or holidayparties, etc. In many cases, medium and largesize firms require a variety of sizes of meetingareas, ranging from the two person critique areato a presentation space for a new client with aboard of directors numbering twenty or more.Layout, lighting, power, communications, andfood/beverage serving area flexibilitydifferentiate a designers meeting area from atypical conference room. Through the followingchapters, conference area creativity will beevident, from the conference room withstorefront windows to an area that opens upto the outside with a fourteen foot glassgarage door. The conference room is no

longer a typical rectangular room with a tableand chairs, but a designers pallette for creativecommunication space accommodating varietiesof people for a period of time.

Library ^ a collection of resource material?This term only begins to explain the varieties ofreference material, layout space and storagecapabilities for the resources included in adesigners office. In many typical offices, thelargest piece of correspondence may be an11 x 17 sheet of paper. For a designer, printmedia can range from an 812 x 11 sheet to adrawing four feet wide and twelve feet in length.Storage of these types of media can be integralpieces of the design solution, as design firmsrequire quick access to large sets of drawingswhich range in size from 24" x 36" to 30" x 42".Various methods of storage-rolled, hanging, orlarge format filing drawers ^ may be used.

In a typical business, transmittals may be sentwith a stack of folders, whereas in a designersoffice, transmittals may come or go with productsamples of large construction materials orfixtures, large wall racks displaying colorselections, or even large mounted renderings.With these media types, the layout spacesand the product and sample librariesbecome very important elements in a designfirm. Designers are constantly selecting andspecifying products, of which hands-oninteraction with so many of these selections isimperative. With a majority of products nowshowcased on websites, the designer has theadvantage of browsing through products andcolors, but for the final presentation to theclient, physical samples of colors, textures, andfixtures still remain the most effective selling tool.The storage and display areas for theseproducts tend to grow proportionally by sizeof firm.

The realization . . . that we were both clients and the designers. Dasic Architects

Reception

Gal lery

Meeting

ix

As for a more common definition of library,design firms will not only have product andsample libraries, but they will also feature amagazine and reference book library.Designers are visually oriented and most thriveon viewing the latest periodicals and design-related books. The library should be one ofthe most inspirational and relaxing elements ofthe designers workspace. The images to followwill show similar, yet contrasting, ways ofdisplaying the catalogs, binders, referencematerial, and periodicals and using thesenecessities as design elements.

While the reception area, the meetingareas, and the library include designelements that are specific to each firm and theprofession, the studio and/or design spacefor the designer has key elements of originality.For the designer, the normal workingenvironment is the studio, reminiscent of thecollege educational model. This space is keyto inspiring the designer and facilitating his/her production of the product.

With twenty designers asked to design theoptimal workspace, in all probability youwould have at least twenty different designs.Studios vary tremendously between firms,depending on the firm organization, howproject teams are assigned, the configurationof the space allocated, and various otherconsiderations on a firm by firm basis. Needsalso change with an employees role within thefirm ^ hand rendering, animations, modelbuilding, marketing, construction documents,specifications, all of the above . . . Does atypical workstation need to accommodate allof these roles, or is a workstation task specific?How much storage is needed at each station?How much layout space is needed?

Interestingly, the examples throughout thisbook are very similar in size for eachworkstation, but the arrangement, lighting,storage, and relationship between workstationsvary tremendously by firm.

The designers office typically includesoversized desks and layout space fordrawings. The industry has changed in the lasttwo decades from a manual drafting table to acomputer station. With these changes, mobilityhas become a priority for tables, carts, andseating to make the design space most versatile.

Varying by firm, a studio may include the entiredesign staff, including the principal(s) of the firm,or management may be in individual offices.This decision, in many cases, is representativeof the firms philosophy of the project team,how the project team(s) operate, and the levelof flexibility and potential growth that isexpected in the long range business plan ofthe firm.

What products are available to accommodatethese functions and flexibility? Are designersusing manufactured products or customfabricated units? Many offices reflect totalcustom design with each studio desk andstorage unit. Storage units can become anoverall design element that visually tie thestudio together. While varying from firm tofirm, two design directions can bedistinguished among the examples. Many firmsfocus on the interior finishes and articulation ofdetails and space while providing standard,functional desktops and workspaces. Otherfirms provide custom individual workstationsthat provide an additional layer of detail tothe studio.

thedesignersworkspaceintroductioncontinued

x

In the book ^ New Workplaces for NewWorkstyles by Marilyn Zelinsky, the old ruleof thumb is 250 square feet for individualoffices, but offices have now decreased in sizeto 200 square feet and workstations to 80square feet per person. These numbers arecomparable to many of the design studio casestudies as detailed to follow.

For many design professionals, the officebecomes a home away from home and ismore than just a typical space for working.Many firms choose to offer additionalamenities that revolve around break areas orsome type of recreational activity. In many ofthe case studies, firms have incorporated thebreak areas with the library elements.Designers are very prone to browse throughperiodicals, books, or reference materialsduring breaks or at lunch. The minds of mostdesign professionals are constantly turningwith new ideas, which are fostered throughinteraction in the break areas and withfrequent exposure to design product literature.

Imagine your lobby, your meeting areas, yourlibrary, your studio, your break areas . . . Whatdo these images say about your firm to youremployees, a visiting recruit, and your clients?Do these images give your client the best, lastingfirst impression?

These descriptions of unique spaces that areincorporated into the designers workspaceare only a sample of the many designdecisions and alternatives that may beexplored during the design process. Our firmhas had the opportunity to experience sixteenyears in the three-story renovated Ely Buildingin downtown Knoxville, featuring an interiorbrick wall extending the full length of thebuilding, large wooden windows lining eachside of the studio, a conference room baywindow, a sidewalk entrance with storefront,and other unique features of buildings from theturn of the 20th century.

Now the firm of twenty-one enjoys double thesquare footage on the third floor of a new officebuilding located just one block away. There aremany advantages to each of these offices. Aswe prepared the space to accommodate us andmeet our needs, it gave us an opportunity todecide how to express the character anduniqueness of our firm.

Throughout the examples in this book, you willsee the important elements for each firm andeach firms staff that influenced the finaldesigns. After corresponding with hundreds ofdesign firms for this publication, it was amazingto see the number of firms who did not considertheir offices to be of publishable quality, butrather worked out of ordinary and non-descriptoffices. To the contrary, the examples in thisbook have stepped forward to display theunique and innovative solutions for theireveryday design environments.

Has the ultimate design solution beenachieved? This question can only be askedand answered individually by each firm. Aseach space of an office is dissected for itsfunction, its image, and its quality of design,the professional has the distinct opportunity tomake a lasting statement about the designfirm. In observing your firm, how does yourspace characterize your firms vision?

Ross/Fowler Office Layout

Studio

Office

Library

xi

archimaniaTM is an architecture firm located inthe downtown historic district of Memphis,Tennessee in a renovated 1,600 sf spaceoriginally built in 1910. The tenant space hadbeen unoccupied in a neglected part ofdowntown. The design pallette was adilapidated and empty shell space with wornplaster over masonry party walls, badly wornwood floors, and no mechanical, plumbing, orelectrical systems.

The firms goals were to design an office thatwas dramatic and impressive upon entry.Efficiency and open work and conferencespaces were required for opencommunications in a small office. The firmpromotes a strong teaching/learningenvironment for young employees andencouraged the use of cost effective materialthroughout the space.

The plaster ceilings were removed to expose theceiling and roof joists, plaster walls wererepaired and painted white, and the existingwood floors were salvaged in the publicspaces of the office. Marine grade plywoodwas applied over the existing wood floors inthe rear of the building and painted with ahigh gloss enamel.

0

architecture

01

archimania

date of completion 1996number of employees 7total square footage 1600

number of conference rooms 1typical workspace size 64 sf

1

2

The skylight was re-trimmed and emphasizedwith a boldly painted curved wall as thebackdrop. The skylight and curved wall serveas a focal point upon entry and the slot in thewall helps to express the implied symmetry ofthe office. The office is a series of layersmanipulated by color, material, and form.

1

1 View from Front Entry2 View of Studio and Storefront3 Workstation/Storage Units4 Floor Plan

Photography Credits:Jeffrey Jacobs/Arch. Photo. Inc.

3

4

25 Work Area6 Reference Library/Shelving7 Kitchen8 View from Back Room

15

26

7

Architects Wells Kastner Schipper ^ AWKS ^ isan architecture, planning, and interior designfirm located in West Des Moines, Iowa. In thesummer of 1998, this firm, previously ArchitectsWells Woodburn ONeil, inhabitated their newoffices in an existing 1970s vintage publiclibrary. This was the departure point for thisadaptive re-use project. The space isapproximately one half of the previous publiclibrary. The windowless space had formerlyhoused a circulation desk and a stack area.

The design is based programmatically upon thefirms cultural expectations of open and informalcommunication, as well as providing clients avisual model of the firms communicativeculture, abilities in adaptive reuse, and designmethodology based on simple expression ofmaterials and their spatial relationships.

The first step in remodeling was the addition oflight to the space. This was achieved byremoving an entire wall of the building andreplacing it with a curtain wall with fourteenfeet of north faced vertical glass and one footof horizontal glass at floor level at either end.The disengagement of the curtain wall from theexisting floor and walls was the impetus forfurther study into treating the use of the spaceas temporary in the logic of its connections to theexisting structure, while conveying strength and

permanence to users and clientele. The curtainwall is aided structurally by a load bearing lay-out table that is constructed of plate steel andlimestone and the use of moment reducingtension rods.

The studio space is based around the studiotable which is the home for group discussions,supplies and printing devices. The tableprovides an opportunity for interaction by itscentral location and varied design-orienteduses. On axis with the studio table is theoffice table. Its use is related to non-designfunctions of mail, marketing, and filing. Thepersonal interaction evoked by this tables useis similar to the studio table and therelationship and difference of each tablesactivities are expressed through alignment andseparation.

In keeping with expressions of opencommunication and often-temporal nature ofadaptive re-use, doors are found only at theentrance to the space and the rest room. Thewall and furnishing elements of the space donot engage the walls of the existing space andconnections to the existing columns are limitedto silicone engagements of glass. Materialexpressions emphasize the hearty andsimplicity of wood, explore structuralcapabilities of steel in spans and tension, andhighlight the varied properties of glass.

4

architectureplanninginterior design

02

Architects Wells Kastner Schipper



custom workstations yes

1

51 Curtain Wall2 Floor Plan3 Nightscape4 Exterior

Photography Credit:Timothy Hursley

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3

4

65 Conference Room6 Lobby Seating7 Reception8 Typical Workstation9 Studio

10 Layout at Curtain Wall

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6 7

78

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10

Augusto Quijano Arquitectos, S. C. P. is anarchitecure firm located in Merida YucatanMexico. The firms offices are designed withretranslated architectural elements from history,tradition, and fifteen years of practice. The useof space, natural lighting and history criteriawere all key elements in the design process.

The building is closed to the street with vacuuminteriors. The scheme is organized with allspaces oriented around a hard-patio with areflecting pool. There are two distinct spaceswithin the office ^ the working areas and thepublic areas. The service core links the twoareas.

The design reflects the back spaces such asportico, patio, backyard and zaguan(Mexican entry) as an attitude to claimtradition with place but spirit-of-age. Thespatial organization uses a series of transitionspaces with public-private sequences.

The interior language of the workspace ischaracterized by white, empty walls that areisolated planes that obtain fluency throughoutthe spaces. The design maintains a philosophyof spatial treatment and not from forms.

The firms philosophy is reflected in the design ofthis workspace ^ The architecture is the mirrorof the culture and Culture is the way of life ofpeople.

8

architecturalsignage

03

Augusto Quijano Arquitectos

date of completion 1992number of employees 14

total square meters 178number of conference rooms 3

typical workspace size 5 sqm

1 2

3

91 Entry2 Main Entry3 Patio toward offices4 Courtyard5 Workstation in Public Area

Photography Credits:Augusto Quijano Axle Archive

4

5

10

6 View from Conference Room7 Portico8 View to Court9 Atelier from Backyard

10 Backyard11 Courtyard toward

Conference Room

6

7

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An addition to a modest West Coast Modernclassic home of the sixties, this 900 sq. ft. studioknits between the existing house and a maturegarden and pond. The studio flanks the east sideof the property, forming a garden entrancecourtyard between carpet and studio. Thestudio bridges across the slope tying into theexisting structure.

The studio consists of a single open workspace.A large glass wall sweeps around the pond andgarden, reaching towards the entrance on thepublic side of the property. The front curvingwall rises with the same 3.5 in 12 roof slopeas the existing house. A rafter and decking rooffollows this rise, while resting on a constant tenfoot high beam pulled free from the oppositewall. The roof appears to float, as the flankingwall is split from the roof by a continuous skylightthat washes all of the shelving in natural lightand balances the light in the space. Filtered lightfrom the west comes through the mature cherrytrees and rhododendrons and reflects from thepond.

The studio has working stations for fivearchitects, a conference area, a small kitchenarea, lunch area and a washroom. As a homeoffice, it allows for daytime occupancy in aneighborhood that is normally deserted duringthe business week and reduces commuting timefor those involved in the office who live in thearea. The construction budget was $96,000.

12

architecture

04

Blue Sky Architecture


number of conference rooms 1typical workspace (average) 60 sf

1

2

13

1 Entry2 Window Wall3 Studio Entrance4 Studio

hotography Credits:Diego Samper 1, 2Peter Powles 3, 4

3

4

An environment for living and working ^ astudio/residence ^ this was the solution forRandy Brown Architects located in Omaha,Nebraska. The 40 x 40 1970s passivesolar building (originally a pre-school) and lotwere purchased by the firm to be converted intoa studio-residence. As an architecturalexperiment, the Architect decided to designand construct the project while living andworking in the building. The only room thatwas designed and built before moving was theshower.

The existing building was stripped to its pureshell; the exterior is composed of white EIFSand the interior sheetrock walls have beenpainted white. The interior perimeter wallswere intentionally left blank to providemaximum exhibit space for the studiosprojects. The center of the building is occupiedby a free-standing platform/container; acollage of pieces (bookcases, technology wall,closet, dresser, wall studs, floor joists, steelplates, retractable glass table) which create acommunal space on the first floor and an office/sleeping loft above.

The initial answer to the problem was a studio/residence. By establishing only the finalobjective on which to base the projections,constructions, and intentions beforehand, ameans remained to be discovered. An agendasecured with an ephemeral signature to ensureits security.

14

architecture

05

Randy Brown Architects

date of completion 1997number of employees 4total square footage 1,600

number of conference rooms 1typical workspace 72 sf

1

2

3

15

1 Exterior2 Site Plan3 Entry4 Detail at Entry Canopy5 Studio6 Framing Details

Photography Credits:AssassiCopyright 2002

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5

6

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7 Loft Bedroom8 First Floor Plan9 Second Floor Plan

10 Exploded Axonometric11 Conference Room

Photography Credits:AssassiCopyright 2002

7

8 9

10

Bullock, Smith & Partners, Inc. has officeslocated in Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee.The Nashville program called for offices andwork area for approximately twelve tofourteen architects and staff, conference roomand lobby, and support spaces. An existingone-story warehouse, previously used for lightindustry in an area of town known for itsadaptive reuse projects, was purchased fortheir firm.

The architect conceived of the space as anoffice-as-village. This was achieved by creatingcirculation paths (streets and plazas) in plan andvisually separating the geometric masses(buildings) from the sky (ceiling) in section.Bold colors were used to delineate functionand orientation; red was used at exteriorperimeter walls, yellow for the main streetand plaza edge, white for walls both floatingand punctured, blue for accent and servicespaces, and gray for the sky. Existingstructural elements were celebrated as foundconditions.

Through the process of layering planes andcolors, vistas are created within the dynamicand playful workspace.

18

architecture

06

Bullock, Smith & Partners, Inc.



1

2

1 Reception Desk2 Plan Axonometric3 Firm Graphics Drawings4 Office5 Graphic Display6 Studio7 Lobby8 Central Corridor

Photography Credits:Bill LaFevor

3

4 5

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Dasic Architects is an architecture firm located inTokyo, Japan. In Tokyo it is very common toconvert apartments to and from offices. Thespaces are often designed to serve bothpurposes, depending on tenant.

The firms office is a two level apartment insidewith an exposed clad concrete facade. The firstand second level are connected through adouble space galleria above the kitchenspace. The upper floor has a spiral staircase,leading to a roof deck which gives aspectacular view of Shinjuku skyscrapers.

The goal was to create a studio with lots ofnatural light, where the architects could workwith an assistant during the day and receiveclients as well. The glass walls and the ceilingglass create an atmosphere of space bathed innatural sunlight.

The materials are simple white paint with woodfloors, giving the space a sense of a modernapartment and a modern office ^ comfortablebut businesslike. The walls contain framedgraphic art, generally by European artists. Thefurniture is based on a German modular Hallersystem. Although it is a standard prefabricatedsystem, all of the elements and pieces arecustom designed and assembled. The modularsystem allows for various configurations asneeds within the firm change.

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architecture

07

Dasic Architects



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1 View of Shinjuku skyscrapers2 Entry Door3 Office from Spiral Stair4 Building Model5 Office w/ Spiral Stair Beyond6 Studio w/ Layout Space7 Office

Photography Credit:Peter M. CookCAD model:Dasic Architects

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Elliott+Associates Architects is an architecturefirm located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In1995 the firm chose to move the office backdowntown as an expression of botharchitectural preservation and modern thinking.This decision was made through variousbrainstorming sessions conducted with the staffto define project scope and needs. The selectedrestoration and renovation project was theHeierding Building, which is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.Elliott+Associates focused on returning theexterior to its 1914 condition and to meet therequired ADA requirements withoutcompromising the integrity of the historicstructure.

The site concept included restoring theimmediate site and sidewalks, as well ascreating a patch of green on the adjacentproperty, in direct contrast to the hardscape ofthe downtown setting.

The two level office includes an administrativelevel on the first floor and the studio on level two.The first floor program facilitates the

administrative staff, as well as showcasing agallery/conference space to accommodateproject meetings, small social gatherings, thedisplay of project photographs and theexhibition of one changing artwork. Thesecond floor level houses the studio, whereworkstations are located on the north side tobenefit from the soft light, while the lunchroom/library is placed on the south in thesouth sunlight. A large central work counter/material library allows open access to allprofessionals.

The architectural concept for the HeierdingBuilding interior focused on Light Shrines. Thefirm concentrated on using the daylight cominginto the space to create the atmosphere. Thereare a total of six shrines in the building thatillustrate how light can behave as it interactswith the architecture. The goal was to use lightas a design element and paint with light. Lightis the art and the spirit of the space.

Light Shrine 1 ^ A bare bulb hanging from theceiling at the nose of thebuilding that emits energyof the building. It remains on24 hours a day.

Light Shrine 2 ^ The triangular reception spaceformed by theater scrimholding the shadows fromexterior windows andcapturing the light inside.

Light Shrine 3 ^ Lighted slit panel in themens toilet and visiblethrough the clerestory glass.

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architecture

08

Elliott + Associates



1

2

Light Shrine 4 ^ Lighted stair risers allowingyou to walk on light.

Light Shrine 5 ^ Back lighted roof drain pipethat illuminates the acuteangle corner of the interiorbrick.

Light Shrine 6 ^ Solar mesh light wallsdividing the studio workstations.

In addition to focal light concepts,Elliott+Associates used a variety of commonmaterials in unusual and thought provokingways. Twelve foot long pull chain switcheswere used in lieu of wall switches. Theatricalscrim is used as space dividers instead of glassto create visual privacy between spaces.Perforated hardboard ceilings with battinsulation above act as a good acousticalsurface. Clear fiberglass pipe normally usedfor solar water storage tubes are incorporatedas ductwork to communicate that air is invisibleand light. High tech nylon fabric is used as airsupply ducts in the studio. It breathes assupply air is discharged into the space.Fiberglass mesh solar shades are used on theinterior to form light walls at the workstations,to soften the light and create a better ambiancefor computer use.

23

1 Display2 Exterior3 Reception/Gallery4 Library5 Drawing Racks

Photography Credits:Robert Shimer

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6 Entry7 Detail at Sink8 Second Floor Plan9 First Floor Plan

10 Restroom

6 7

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Gentile Holloway OMahoney & Associates,Inc. is a landscape architecture, planning, andenvironmental consulting firm, originallyestablished in 1988. The firm has remained atten or under in number of employees for itshistory, operating as one studio size.

In 1998 a separate group was formed to buyland and build an office building. The partners,an architect, a general contractor and alandscape architect, created a skillful group,with each utilizing their expertise to end with acost effective and unique project. The firms ofthese partners now together lease the finishedbuilding.

The previous office had been confined to a shot-gun setup with very limited space. A typicalsituation that many designers find themselvesin ^ a major client was across the hall. But thefirm was outgrowing its space and was readyfor a move. The entry courtyard became afunctional asset to the business as it is used asa classroom from the conference room. Clientsrequest to come and use the conference roomfor items peripheral to the firms involvement inthe project.

Design studios operate differently amongprofessions. This firm has attempted to addressthis in the layout. The office operates as onelarge space. The only two doors provideprivacy for the conference room and thepartners office. Each employee benefits byseeing each of the firms projects progressthrough the office, through drawings,specifications, telephone conversations,meetings, etc.

The three partners offices anchor the building ineach corner. In the center of the open floor planare two ten foot blitz tables set at counterheight, used for organizing, collating,charrettes, and rendering. The uniquebookshelf/dividers are used between thepartners offices and the general work area.These units house personal reference material,samples, and display items.

Due to the nature of the work with largedrawings, the firm designed large layoutspaces at each workstation. There are fourgeneral workstations, with computers locatedin the corners. These four stations can beexpanded to eight as the need arises. Roll fileswere also designed at each desk.

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landscapearchitectureplanningenvironmental

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Gentile Holloway OMahoney


number of conference rooms 1typical workspace size 50^90sf

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1 Studio2 Typical Workstation3 Printing/Filing Area4 Courtyard5 Exterior6 1907 Lobby Entrance

Photography Credits:Emily OMahoney 3Kevin Smith 1, 2, 4, 5, 6

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Joyce Signs is a young architectural signagecompany with new offices designed byarchimaniaTM. The firm is located within a turn-of-the-century retail building in an historic urbandistrict. Currently undergoing revitalization, thehistoric district is attracting artists, galleries anddiverse creative professionals.

The goal was to design an office space that wascost effective and reflected the companysvibrant and creative approach to serving itsclients. The project consists of a conferenceroom, work stations for designers, sales officesand production areas.

One of the main design considerations wasmaintaining openness between functions inorder to facilitate communication, whilesimultaneously creating privacy for eachdistinct function. This was achieved by the useof transparent acrylic panels that defined space,while allowing light to pass through, visuallyopening up the space. Standard 4x8 sheets ofplywood turned on end were used to createpartial walls around the sales office, givinggreater privacy.

The use of color, simple materials and theutilization of existing walls and infrastructurewhere possible solved budgetary constraints.Color breaks up the spaces and providesvisual layers as each space progresses awayfrom the glass front.

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architecturalsignage

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Joyce Signs



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1 Main Corridor2 Tiled Wall w/ Acrylic Panels3 Layering of Color and Materials4 Conference Room5 Workstations

Photography Credits:Jeffrey Jacobs/Arch. Photo. Inc.

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Odle & Young Architects, Inc. is located indowntown Knoxville, Tennessee. The firm tookan old building with character on the edge of,and a part of, a Historical Neighborhood andrestored the building by maintaining its solidcharacter and adding modern features.

The 2-story historical building was originallyknown as the Rogers Building and later asthe Wylie Hardware Building (circa 1904).The open plan studio is located on the lowerlevel with leasable space on the second floor.

The entry is located at the rear of the building,adjacent to parking, in lieu of being located onthe five-lane highway to the front of the building.The original brick facade is modernized with aglass and steel, transparent, triangular structureentry element. Upon entry, the visitor is greetedby three arched brick portals and a lobby whichaccesses the shared formal conference room,accessible toilets and the vertical circulationelement.

The stair extends through the 212 story light wellwhich brings light into the center of the lobby.The architects studio is visible through the tallglass walls of the lightwell and is accessedthrough the relocated, original door andtransom.

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architecture

11

Odle & Young Architects


number of conference rooms 1typical workspace (average) 56 sf

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2

The open studio plan includes five foot highpanel dividers for each workstation, an eightfeet x four feet informal meeting/work table,the product library featuring a rolling laddersystem and two larger workstations for the twoprincipals located in each of the storefrontwindows.

This innovative project was a finalist for theMetropolitan Planning CommissionsExcellence Award and received recognitionfrom Knox Heritage for commercial restoration.

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1 Front Facade2 Stairway3 Circular Studio Windows4 Main Entry Nightscape5 Formal Conference Room6 Archways at Lobby

Photography Credits:Steve Young

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7 Second Floor Plan8 First Floor Plan9 Studio

10 Restroom11 Library/Meeting Area12 Typical Workstation

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LeaseSpace

Open toBelow

Open toBelow

Lease Space

LeaseSpace

Odle & Young Architects

ConferenceRoom

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Serrao Design/Architecture is a small firmlocated in San Francisco, California. The Southof Market loft space allows for maximumefficiency, as well as maximum flexibility forthe current staff of four. A customized systemof shelving and workstations were developedand positioned along one sidewall of thespace. This system, acting as a formal andspatial armature, is both a point of referenceand spatial organizer, as well as the primarycontainer of all records and material for thestudio. Allowing for flexibility andtransformability, all workstations, tables andstorage units are customized to standardrepetitive modules and set on casters. Withthis, the space can transform and bereorganized as the needs of the studio and thework changes. These transformations can occurwith ease on a daily basis. The armature, as wellas the workstations, translucent partitions andfurniture, work together to form a common kitof parts made up of simple steel fabricationsthat bolt together for ease of assembly.Supporting the industrial language of many ofthe elements and the notion of loft space, alllight fixtures are customized using standardelectrical components.

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architecture

12

Serrao Design/Architecture



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3

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1 Flexible Storage Units2 Workstation and Display3 Stair and Storage4 Studio5 Floor Plan6 Section7 Magazine/Book Display

Photography Credits:Frederic Neema

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Spiral Co., Ltd. Is a unique atelier located inMitaka, Tokyo. It would be very easy forvisitors to miss the building, as the frontage ofthe atelier is only two meters. A large woodendoor invites one into the atelier through a sideporch lined with tall dry walls, but with noceiling, giving the feeling of an outside porch.The gallery follows the porch, where the lightcomes through the windows at foot level.

Taking off ones shoes at the end of the gallery,the visitor descends several steps to enter thestudio. Koji Kobayashi, a well-knownarchitectural photographer in Japan, is theowner of this atelier. He also acts as an ArtDirector, who curates exhibitions of ModernJapanese using silk, porcelains, OkinawaGlass works, etc. His creations includescreens, rolls, lamps and many other items,using his own photos and these traditionalJapanese materials.

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architecturalphotography

graphic design

art

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Spiral Co., Ltd.


total square meters 129number of conference rooms 1typical workspace (average) varies

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3

His interests focus on fusion. Though it oftenutilizes traditional materials, it is notretrospective or conservative at all, butmodern and sophisticated. So his atelier, witharchitect Michimasa Kawaguchi, is worked outto a very modern and traditional Japanesebuilding.

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1 Entry2 Gallery w/ Low Window Wall3 Stairway4 Exterior from Inner Court5 Porch followed by the Gallery6 Nightview of the Gallery

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The whole atelier is coordinated in black andwhite. However, the materials that composethese colors are very natural and traditionalthings. For instance, all the wooden parts hadbeen painted in Sumi, or Japanese ink, andhundreds of kneaded Japanese Papers havebeen applied to the wall and the ceiling.

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7 Floor Plans8 Studio9 Workstation

10 Principals Office Desk11 Meeting Space12 Principals Office13 Main Workstations14 Restroom15 Kakejiku Tapestry Display

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The office of Watson Tate Savory is an adaptivereuse of an existing one-story, light industrialwarehouse, which had been in partial use asa storage shed and partially abandoned. Thebuilding was renovated as a speculativeventure for tenant fit-up. The rear portion of thebuilding comprises the architects office.

As a project designed by a client group for itsown use, the office of Watson Tate Savoryprovides not only a chance to explore avanishing urban industrial fabric, but also anopportunity to express to a growingcommunity the possibilities inherent in older,historically unremarkable buildings.

Programmatic requirements for Watson TateSavory include work stations with expansionspace for a staff of twenty, a conference room,a reference library, a kitchenette, a receptionarea and storage. Spaces are organizedaround a matrix of public/private functions inresponse to an L-shaped shell. The interior ismodulated by a series of horizontal andvertical planes bisecting a centraladministration and research pavilion. Woodpanels, arranged in sequence, fracture andfurther articulate the space, which is composedthrough a system of geometric overlays ofsquares and golden sections. Light isintroduced, not only through existing windowopenings, but also through newly constructedclerestory monitors, built over existingopenings that once contained industrialskylights.

Situated alongside a railroad cut used for thetransport of industrial freight, the north facadeof the office curves in response to a fragmentof a rail delivery spur that originally tied to the

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architecture

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Watson Tate Savory


number of conference rooms 1.5typical workspace (average) 55

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1 Exterior at Night2 Site Plan3 Reception/Gallery4 Entry5 Corridor6 Floor Plan

Photography Credits:G.MatsonPhoto

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main track. Surrounding the site, other fragments of an earlier industrialage dependent on the railroad remain as well, in various stages ofprosperity and decay.

As this immediate neighborhood is revitalized and developed into a newcommercial district, it is these fragments of a modest bygone industrialcommunity that this project seeks to engage. By utilizing simple industrialmaterials found in the immediate neighborhood and by interveningdelicately in the existing structure, the design attempts to provide apoint of repose from which to consider the contribution of backgroundbuildings to the patina of a particular urban experience.

Soaring space mixed with natural lighting werethe main objectives when architects StuartWexler and Michael Kollman beganrenovating the old Hershberger CommunityCenter in Prairie View, Illinois, a northernsuburb of Chicago. Built in 1895, the two-storywood-framed structure had most recently beenhome to American Legion Post 1247 andfeatured an impressive beaded fir archedceiling and walls, complimented by a vintagefir floor. Those unique aspects were returnedto their original luster when the office ofWexler/Kollman P.C., Ltd. moved into the topfloor in 1990.

When originally constructed, the building wasplaced atop limestone block piers and remainedopen under the first floor. To increase energyefficiency and discourage inhabitation ofanimals and debris, the building was raisedabout three feet. This allowed for the design ofan English basement with natural light.

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architecture

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Wexler/Kollman



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The existing one-story concrete block kitchenwas replaced with an entry stair tower toimprove circulation. The three-story towerincludes a unique loft conference room for thearchitects, reached by iron spiral stairs and tops-off their creative office space.

The architectural studio space is punctuated withlight and soaring volume. It features offices,storage and conference space in a uniquesetting. The vast openness is divided down themiddle with a built-in bookcase unit, providingseparation between the gallery and privateoffices. Walls extend to eight feet high withclear glass transoms above. The original firfloor defines the open studio space.

In keeping with the historical significance of thesite, the land has been restored to its nativeprairie origins. Native wildflowers and prairiegrasses, along with burr oaks, have beenreintroduced and are adapting well.

The $150,000 renovation project providedabout 1,900 square feet for the four-personfirm. The project exceeds each of the criteriaset at the beginning ^ affordability, adaptabilityto needs, suitability for leasing, and theuniqueness and creativity of the space.

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1 Community Center ca. 18952 Exterior Prior to Renovation3 Exterior4 Gallery5 Exterior/Signage6 Conference Area

Photography Credits:Michael S. Kollman

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Architecture Project was set up in May 1991 toprovide a complete range of architecturalservices, with special focus on restoration anddesign. Over the years an international teamof architects and researchers has grown toform the main core of staff, committed toevolving the main interests of the firm. Theseinclude a concern with context, both physicaland cultural, and the reciprocal relationshipbetween the built work and the environment;research in energy efficiency in order tominimize the buildings dependence on non-renewable resources; and the rehabilitationand revitalization of historic buildings.

The building which houses the offices ofArchitecture Project is situated on thelandward bastions of the sixteenth centuryfortified town of Valletta, and overlooks theentrance to Marsamxett Harbour. A tunnelunderlying the building and running along itslength connects the street to the fortified ditchbelow and forms part of the original defensesystem.

The seventeenth century fabric of the buildingwas considerably tampered with during thenineteenth century and during the CrimeanWar, when Malta served as headquarters forthe allies, an unrealized project for a militaryhospital on the bastion incorporated thisbuilding to serve as the entrance wing. In spiteof these changes, the building is the only one toretain its original aspect, most of the area havingbeen redeveloped in the nineteenth century inthe eclectic style of the period.

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architecture

restoration anddesign

16

Architecture Project



typical workspace 8 sqm

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The layout is centered around the main openplan working space on the second floor which,together with a mezzanine level introduced inthe high piano nobile when the offices movedto the new premises, accommodatesapproximately twenty five work stations. Themezzanine floor consists of a steel and wooddeck that spans the length of the space and issuspended from the beams of the roof. This mainworking area also incorporates the receptionand the principal conference room, the latterparticipating visually with the activity of theoffice, while providing the necessary privacywhen the need arises.

Several rooms at intermediate levels providequiet areas, or allow the more messy andnoisy activities, such as model making, to besegregated from the main work areas. Theyare grouped around the ground floorcourtyards that belong historically to the firstphase of the building of Valletta and have aseparate entrance on Sappers Lane. The twooffices at first floor, on the other hand, areused to absorb the fluctuating needs of theoffice and house the workstations of temporarystaff and researchers or the numerous studentswho join the office as part of their training.

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1 Office Location2 Street Facade3 Entry Collonade4 Reception

Photography Credits:Working Light Ltd

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5 Ground Floor Plan6 First Floor Plan7 Second Floor Plan8 Mezzanine Plan9 Conference Room

10 Stairway11 Library12 Mezzanine13 Studio

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Ashton Raggatt McDougall, or ARM, is a cuttingedge design consultancy, regarded asAustralias leader in computer generateddesign, computer imaging and presentation ofthe virtual building. The firms design studiois located on one level on top of a ten storeycarpark. The office has a continuous wall ofglass on the south side, providing terrific viewsto the Yarra River, with the railway viaduct infront and the casino beyond, the shrine ofremembrance to the east and Port Phillip Bayon the horizon to the west. The principalconcept for the office layout was to keep thisview public by making a wide, polished-concrete walkway along the glass, withworking spaces opening directly from it. Largesliding doors provide occasional separation butmost of the time it functions as the primary officecirculation.

The reception area includes an award wallwhich contains forty state, national, andinternational awards. Selected models, easelpanels, books and magazines are alsodisplayed in the gracious waiting area.

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architectureurban designmasterplanning

17

Ashton Raggatt McDougall



typical workspace size 8 sqm

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1 Directors Studio2 Panoramic Studio3 Exterior of Carpark and Offices4 Board Room5 Reception6 Entry Lobby and Gallery

Photography Credit:Ashton Raggatt McDougallJohn Gollings 1, 3, 4, 5, 6

The three principals of ARM spend much of theirtime in the design Studio, but also share a spaceopen to the main window wall circulation spine.This home base provides the opportunity for adhoc conversations and perhaps uninterrupted time.Associates do not have separate offices but workdirectly with their project team in the open planstudio. The product material library lines the wallsof the staff room. Adjoining the lunch room is theimage library, where all hard copy presentationmaterial, submission, slides, video, etc. are storedand catalogued. The lunch room is in the middle ofthe long linear office and makes the link betweenthe front of house areas of reception,administration, meeting rooms, archive andimage library and the design studio, modelmaking, print and server areas.

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