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

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.”

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.”

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.

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.