THE SPACE BEFORE RENOVATION
The space to be renovated had been subdivided into many small offices with no natural light or connection to the spaces around them. A typical SoHo commercial space -- elongated with windows on only two sides -- it was originally intended to be an open factory that housed large machinery and equipment. The architectural intent of this project was to restore the space to its original unity of function, letting the natural daylight fill the entire space. The mechanical ducts and fan coils, once exposed, were purposely left in place, uncovered, as its massive network of ductwork and equipment provided a visual expression of the interconnectivity of the space.
“SPINE” ARCHITECTURE AS CONDUCTIVE NEXUS
A “spine” structure anchors and conjoins individual workstations along a nexus of gathering places, enabling the creative team to transmit their breakthrough ideas, brainstorms, and insights while providing immediate feedback to their ever-evolving collective notions. The open, collaborative architectural spine structure enables the team to compress the cycle time between client request and corporate response through warp-speed communication and spontaneous interchanges.
As the elevator door opens onto the 4th Floor, an over-sized Marquee with logo over black mirrors at the reception area connects “MKG” with “show business” – creating the visitors’ first impression. An over-sized transparent Lucite reception desk disappears, leaving the entire marquee visually whole. From the Marquee on, two clusters of desks, carved from a central spine, position the marketing and operations teams in two expansive open areas in visual alignment with a café, an open projection theatre, a small, and a large conference room, a private office enclosed in glass, an administrative office area, and finally, the principal’s office. Similar to the human spine, the desks clustered in the two main work areas are connected like nerves to the main brain in the principal's office -- the natural conclusion of the spine – all the way to the reception area where the spine originates, facilitating an experience of immediate connection. Small alleys along the spine allow movement from one side to the other. The large conference room is a glass box set strategically along the spine on an angle, visually open on almost all sides. At the front end of the spine, the open area with the best view of Broadway provides a multi-purpose gathering place, enabling MKG to host events, invite large gatherings, perform castings, etc. Endless shelves accessible by a sliding ladder, and wall-hung countertop desks run along one wall, add dynamic elements that make, yet unimaginable, expansion possible. Ceiling limitations vanish from sight, thanks to the uniform black-paint treatment of the beams and ceiling surfaces.
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