I work somewhere where the lobby of our office, the first experience when you step out of the lift, does very little to announce that you have stepped into an office of DESIGN. Very little stands out to differentiate it from your standard business/financial office.
I'm making a case that my office invest time, effort and perhaps a little money to re-work our entry. On that note, I'm looking for images of other offices/lobbies for inspiration, commiseration, etc.
I don't know I've been to visit a lot of firms. I think there's definitely something to be said for a design office that is a good layout and maybe some nice use of materials. It doesn't have to be over designed, but it should showcase the firms values in some way and offer a good spatial arrangement.
Who would hire an architect that can't even design their own spaces? Sorry no photos, I don't have a firm, and I'm not comfortable posting photos without the firm's permission.
I'm a little on the fence as well... the 'loudest' office I've seen might be Liebeskind in New York. It's quite full of models, heavily angled furniture, etc. I won't say it's the best office I've seen, but there is absolutely NO doubt about what happens there.
As for the previous 'show me yours, i'll show you mine?':
in my opinion i think a good lobby should be one that subconsciously makes the client/visitor wait in the lobby until a receptionist addresses their reason for being there... if they end up meandering around the work floor trying to find whoever they were supposed to meet; there is a problem with that lobby - after that, then put in the models, project photos, and renderings
That's a good point. If I was visiting I'd definitely feel the urge to look into the work space. I feel bad for whoever works in the first two desks.
WRT has a nice waiting area and generally a good office layout too. When you walk in you first see the receptionist. And when you sit down to wait, you still get a nice view through the workspace. You can look out the window with a nice view, but you can't actually see anyone's desk area or computer screen. Also it's kind of tucked into a corner, so you don't feel like your in the way, or being watched.
the first experience when you step out of the lift, does very little to announce that you have stepped into an office of DESIGN
I think I know what you mean--our office is small (five people, maybe ~1000 square feet) and on a floor with a few other offices above some shops. We have no lobby area or receptionist, and several times a week people walk into our office asking if we are the dentists in the office next door.
It's true that the only sign we have is on the small director when you walk in the door downstairs, but the dentists do have a sign on their door... which is directly in front of you at the top of the stairs and has a welcome mat in front of it. Our office also has a glass door with a detailed wood model hung from the wall facing you as you enter. I would think that between these two entrance sequences, one could deduce which office contained a dentist and which office contained an architect.
I'm not sure if that says more about our office announcing its design nature, or about the dental office announcing its medical nature. Either way, it at least seems as though the problem isn't unique to our profession.
PHOTOS: Your office / office lobby
All-
I work somewhere where the lobby of our office, the first experience when you step out of the lift, does very little to announce that you have stepped into an office of DESIGN. Very little stands out to differentiate it from your standard business/financial office.
I'm making a case that my office invest time, effort and perhaps a little money to re-work our entry. On that note, I'm looking for images of other offices/lobbies for inspiration, commiseration, etc.
Got a good one? A bad one?
Post it if you've got it. Thanks + Cheers.
pD.
you first .. show us whatcha got !!
Aside from professional photos of built work, I'm not sure I've ever seen a lobby that screams "We're designers."
and said lobby proclaiming it's 'design-iness' was probably not designed by a very talented person/firm
I don't know I've been to visit a lot of firms. I think there's definitely something to be said for a design office that is a good layout and maybe some nice use of materials. It doesn't have to be over designed, but it should showcase the firms values in some way and offer a good spatial arrangement.
Who would hire an architect that can't even design their own spaces? Sorry no photos, I don't have a firm, and I'm not comfortable posting photos without the firm's permission.
I'm a little on the fence as well... the 'loudest' office I've seen might be Liebeskind in New York. It's quite full of models, heavily angled furniture, etc. I won't say it's the best office I've seen, but there is absolutely NO doubt about what happens there.
As for the previous 'show me yours, i'll show you mine?':
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7q0aAqs9tte2jWwPgYWMfQ?feat=directlink
Anyone else?
in my opinion i think a good lobby should be one that subconsciously makes the client/visitor wait in the lobby until a receptionist addresses their reason for being there... if they end up meandering around the work floor trying to find whoever they were supposed to meet; there is a problem with that lobby - after that, then put in the models, project photos, and renderings
That's a good point. If I was visiting I'd definitely feel the urge to look into the work space. I feel bad for whoever works in the first two desks.
WRT has a nice waiting area and generally a good office layout too. When you walk in you first see the receptionist. And when you sit down to wait, you still get a nice view through the workspace. You can look out the window with a nice view, but you can't actually see anyone's desk area or computer screen. Also it's kind of tucked into a corner, so you don't feel like your in the way, or being watched.
i always thought the lobby/reception of the office i used to work at made a pretty good impression.
no mies chairs?
I think I know what you mean--our office is small (five people, maybe ~1000 square feet) and on a floor with a few other offices above some shops. We have no lobby area or receptionist, and several times a week people walk into our office asking if we are the dentists in the office next door.
It's true that the only sign we have is on the small director when you walk in the door downstairs, but the dentists do have a sign on their door... which is directly in front of you at the top of the stairs and has a welcome mat in front of it. Our office also has a glass door with a detailed wood model hung from the wall facing you as you enter. I would think that between these two entrance sequences, one could deduce which office contained a dentist and which office contained an architect.
I'm not sure if that says more about our office announcing its design nature, or about the dental office announcing its medical nature. Either way, it at least seems as though the problem isn't unique to our profession.
our office lobbies tend to be bare, modern and minimalistic... unadorned, i think, in a seventies sense, with more up to date colors.
@urbanist: Whoa! One of your column covers is growing a pair of tits! Hot!
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