Dow Jones and Wall Street Journal consolidated its online, print and wire services groups into five floors at one location in midtown Manhattan. Their goal was to create a centralized workplace with the most up-to-date technology and design features. STUDIOS was hired to meld the groups together, to facilitate faster and more efficient communication among the leaders through the planning and design of the space. A significant cultural change took place, as a new transparent and non-hierarchical environment would be created.
One of STUDIOS? key design solutions is a ?media hub? where the editors of the three groups are located, to facilitate the rapid exchange of information and ideas. Within the media hub is a giant LCD display surrounded by smaller LCD screens lining the perimeter of the space.
Another key design solution is the central reception area. All employees and visitors are directed to a main reception area on the 7th floor. This area serves as a central gathering point, and links to the caf socializing areas, the connecting staircase, and overlooks the media hub located one floor below. A visual display wall with transparent LED pixels, consisting of direct feeds from the company?s website, was installed along the main corridor in this area.
Sustainable design elements include a reflected ceiling plan used for energy savings and cost savings, green finishes, high efficiency lighting, and methods to maximize daylight within the space.