© Michael Moran Photography

A Case Study in Flexibility and Collaboration: Architizer/HWKN Office Design with Allsteel

Architizer Editors Architizer Editors

Architizer CEO and HWKN Partner Marc Kushner knows firsthand that flexibility is crucial both in the world of tech startups and in office design. So, when it came time to design the joint office of his two primary ventures, he looked for products that would give him the ability to expand and change over time. “As an architecture firm and a web startup, we are redefining the way an architecture firm works and collaborates with others,” says Kushner. “So we wanted to make sure that we had a system that could be flexible with us as we grew but feel like the right solution at each step of our evolution.”

Together with HWKN Partner and fellow architect Matthias Hollwich, Kushner landed on Allsteel. “The simplicity, modularity, and beauty of the Allsteel products are the perfect facilitator for our creative work,” said Hollwich, of the choice. “The process was as seamless as the installation,” he added. Kushner elaborated, “We are used to working with reps and distributors, but we rarely expect them to come to the table with great ideas. We were blown away.”

© Michael Moran Photography

© Michael Moran Photography


All photos by Michael Moran Photography.

One primary feature of the fresh HWKN and Architizer space must be Allsteel’s Beyond movable walls, which provide acoustic privacy while encouraging visual connection and transparency. The walls install easily and can be effortlessly reconfigured to accommodate changing floor plans — an asset for an office engaged with the lightning-paced world of tech venture capital.

According to Kushner, Beyond walls were “the perfect solution for us for two reasons. First, each intrusion into our concrete slab floor was a discussion with our landlord, so the fewer penetrations the better. Second, as we grow, we know that we will need to constantly reevaluate and change our spaces. Beyond walls give us the freedom we needed to grow our office with our team.” Hollwich shared similar compliments, “An architectural element as a product helped fast-forward the construction and synchronized the aesthetic between enclosures and furniture.”

© Michael Moran Photography

© Michael Moran Photography

But Beyond walls weren’t the only Allsteel products selected to outfit the tech startup and architecture firm’s open office design. Neat rows of Clarity chairs at Stride desks run the length of the rectangular office space. Clarity strips chairs down to their essential elements of form and function with a one-piece mesh seat and back. The design simplifies the chair’s structure without sacrificing comfort or support.

The Stride desk system also abides by the sleek, minimalist aesthetic of the young, creative environment, offering a flexible, durable collaborative workplace. The full Stride offering, partially on display in the HWKN/Architizer office, includes benching, desks, storage, and panels that work together to form spaces both functional and fashionable.

Lastly, the Harvest table and Rise collaborative seating complete the office’s dynamic, inclusive work setting. A split top on the table facilitates cord management for easy access to technology, power, and data — essentials to running both a web enterprise and an architecture firm.

The office’s three-tiered Rise seating beat the competition with a simple form that can be configured into a wide variety of landscapes. Rise surpasses and transcends conventional seating options by supporting users’ natural postures when coming together to share or brainstorm. It’s top-tier, top-shelf, top-of-the-line, so to speak.

© Michael Moran Photography

© Michael Moran Photography

The names say it all: Allsteel’s office furniture solutions enable a company to find clarity, hit its stride, and rise above the rest to go above and beyond. As the case study of the HWKN/Architizer office lushly demonstrates, if you are open to flexing your office design muscles, consider the highly adaptable offerings responsible for the spirit of collaboration at these forward-looking companies.

© Michael Moran Photography

© Michael Moran Photography

Read more articles by Architizer

Earthbag and Bamboo “School Floating in the Sky” Offers the Best of Both Worlds

School Floating in the Sky in Shangkhaburi Village, Thailand, is a stellar example of collaboration — the team of D Environmental Design System Laboratory, led by Japanese architect Kikuma Watanabe, translated kids' drawings into a ship-like earthbag building built with the help of local carpenters, mountain people, and kids.

Presenting the 5 Finalists for Pitching the City 2015!

The results are in! After a months-long open call and painstaking selection process, five finalists have been chosen to present their ideas to improve the contemporary city at the biennial Pitching the City competition. This high-octane live pitch event is brought to you by Architizer and the Municipal Art Society (MAS) as part of the…

+