When SmithGroup decided to expand its Los Angeles studio and unify several practice groups, it wanted the office to represent the company’s brand and workplace strategy, and be rooted in the firm’s culture of creativity, sustainability and individuality.
The resulting workplace deconstructs the traditional office filled with personal workstations, instead choosing multi-purpose spaces that create a community of collaboration and camaraderie. A series of modular light fixtures in orange flow throughout the space linking open office areas to destination points. With multiple work areas available, employees have the flexibility to work anywhere, anytime, without being tethered to a specific station. Technology is embedded throughout the building, allowing employees to easily access their personal desktops, the firm’s servers and video conferences. Blended into this comfortable live-work environment is a nod to local style, with design features like a living wall, built-in bookshelves, and a modular wall that recalls Southern California’s mid-century modern aesthetic. Exposed ceilings and concrete slabs eschew corporate sleekness for raw creativity.