The brief presented two distinct spaces owned by the client to host their new offices and showroom. The building itself, a late 19nth century building converted to a meatpacking facility in the 1920’s, presented a number of challenges given it’s landmarked status, various structural systems, and deep interior. Furthermore, the client made it clear that the duality of functions should not disrupt each other.

The main driver of the design was to create a single space that allowed for programmatic separation and efficiency without sacrificing light and openness. To do this, we reoriented the “front door” to redefine the entry sequence. The new sequence creates a binary condition upon entry in which programs are clearly distinguished without the need for a physical barrier. By way of an 8’ opening made through an existing masonry wall, an entry tunnel is created between the showroom, to the left, and the office, to the right.  The existing entrance from the building’s shared corridor is then converted into a “back door”. This provides an alternate means of access to block of services ganged at the back of the space where there is not access to natural light. This new utility core contains a pantry, bathrooms, and an oversized storage room with capacity for hundreds of jacket samples. The remaining space is left “void.” Free to become open circulation, showroom, and office that take maximum advantage of existing windows to the South and West.   

Unlike most current offices, our client did not want full open concept workspace. Thus, we were prompted to imagine a contemporary workplace that allowed for privacy of all employees regardless of hierarchy.  The workplace is organized around two concentric bands: The private offices and meeting rooms at the perimeter, and the more public workstations and breakout spaces at the center. Offices are delineated with glass partitions allowing maximum light penetration into the main workspace while creating acoustic separation and privacy. The workstations are customized to integrate all electric systems and provide optimum working conditions. Designed to a specified height, these stations create space for focused, independent work while allowing peer collaboration or conversation when necessary.  The entire space is washed in white, honoring the historic structure of the area while also abstracting it to express a clean and refined workspace of the future.

The showroom shares this aesthetic. Existing Steel beams, columns, and ductwork are stripped of all color to present a unified monochromatic canvas upon which the product shines. This linear space is kept spare with minimal obstructions to light. Even the Hang rack is discreetly cantilevered from the wall to allow for light diffusion in the deepest parts of the space.