While a growing business is always the objective, it can also bring about logistical challenges. When a workspace no longer accommodates a company’s needs, reconsidering the office design is one way to move forward productively.
Cambridge-based energy trading company Appian Way Energy Partners was experiencing acoustical and space challenges as their company exceeded its office capacity. When Bergmeyer was brought on board to help their team make design and layout improvements, we understood first and foremost that it was essential to create a new environment for the company that was practical, purposeful, and more hospitable. Fortunately, the vacant floor below their fourth-floor office was available and created an opportunity for expansion. Adding another floor provided the necessary space for growth and improvement.
The additional level allowed for a separation between the trader’s open workspace on the fourth floor and the more interactive office areas such as the kitchen, communal lounge, and large conference room on the third floor. Small meeting rooms that double as Zoom rooms were also added to the new third floor. Moving the more social gathering spaces out of the fourth floor made for a more useful and welcoming space that no longer created distractions being alongside the busy office team. The moves also created new desk space to accommodate employee growth.
Sound masking through design selections such as drop ceilings, acoustic ceiling clouds, and Aspen glass helped keep transparency while improving the office acoustics. This was one of Appian Way’s most important goals, along with a design that remained complementary to the building’s architectural integrity. Taking a cue from the fourth floor, the creation of the third floor aligns with the original office above it while revealing its own character Exposed brick and columns, natural light, and related color schemes tie the floors' appearance together. Additionally, a new internal staircase was built to physically connect the two floors.
Our design team was also met with the challenge of keeping the business and operations running without disruption throughout the construction of the 4,476 SF office. Proving that the right design partnership can not only meet but exceed the needs of a business and its workforce, Bergmeyer has helped Appian Way Energy Partners successfully reposition its workplace.
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