In a former factory building located in Herald Square, this full-floor commercial condo was outfitted as the headquarters for a tech entrepreneur. As a home to three separate companies, the open plan allows the co-working tenants to freely coordinate as needed. The floor to ceiling open glass partition systems allow for a visual connection throughout the space. A hive of constant activity, the crisp industrial material palette and sophisticated lighting design, allow for a calm and neutral background in this busy office.
Stepping off the elevator onto the polished concrete floors, visitors find themselves in a lobby clad in Italian marble framed in anodized aluminum trim. Past the floor to ceiling glass entrance, the reception area is enclosed in warm dark gray wood board paneling. Greeting guests is a custom-designed angular reception desk in a bright white solid-surface finish. To soften the space, organic shaped light fixtures are suspended overhead, and the space is appointed with plants. There are two custom felt upholstered banquettes for visitors to relax. Off the reception area is a corridor leading to seven small but comfortably appointed rooms designed for one-on-one meetings and interviews.
In the middle of the floor and centered on the main entrance lie the two most critical spaces of this office: the conference room and the pantry. Nicknamed ‘The Tank’ by the owner, the conference room has floor to ceiling glass partitions on three sides which avoids separating the two sides of the office. An Italian marble topped board table is ringed with conference chairs by Vitra in a serene light blue upholstery.
Directly behind the conference room with entrances on each side is the open pantry. Not your typical office kitchenette, this pantry is designed for informal meetings as much a snacking. A wall of tiered bleacher-style seating and café tables provide ample places for employees to relax. Spanning the space and drawing the eye up, is a custom installation of a cobalt blue acoustic ceiling treatment with pendants intermixed. The well-appointed pantry features two sinks and two panel-ready dishwashers, a full height refrigerator and freezer, a microwave and a beverage refrigerator equipped with seltzer and nitro cold-brew taps. Always well-stocked and a comfortable retreat from the work, the pantry is the center of activity in this office.
Flanking the pantry & conference room are twin 50-foot-long work benches. Designed for expansion, these workstations are set-up for ‘hoteling’ style use where employees can pick a seat as they like each day. To keep the space clutter free, each employee is provided with a locker to house their personal effects. In order to serve the needs of a 100+ employee force, there are three small conference rooms & lounges and four separate ‘phone-booths’ used for conference calls and small meetings. With the goal of accommodating a growing workforce, the open plan design and crisp lofty aesthetic allows this office to expand and adapt as needed.