JB Cutting is a 2500 SF office renovation for an advanced CNC millwork and three dimensional laminate component manufacturer in metro-Detroit. The existing office was outdated and did not fit the company’s current workflow or capacity needs. Positioned at the front of their workshop, the office was also constrained by a low ceiling height due to the precast structural concrete mezzanine above.

The space was reconfigured to double the office capacity to 14 people by holding circulation around a tight core while seeking opportunities for walkways to perform double duty with other supplemental activities. A conference room near the entry takes advantage of limited natural light and a partially frosted glass wall filters it into the main office area.

The office is designed as a quiet refuge from a noisy shop. Sound absorbing surfaces mix with ambient and indirect light in the work areas to contrast hard surfaces in the circulation spaces and shop support areas. Adjacent work spaces in the office ‘bullpen’ are provided additional privacy by cantilevered office screens and above desk book storage.

A muted color palette designed to brighten the space is supported by a gradient of colored panels and office chairs. Dark, sound absorbing provide a sense of depth while a series of CNC- milled panels wraps a core of storage and support spaces and acts as a wayfinding element at the center of the space. Oatmeal colored commercial carpet tiles in the offices were chosen with one performance criteria in mind: to conceal the presence sawdust which easily migrates from the shop to the office.

SPECS — BUILT
Location: Mt. Clemens, Michigan
Site characteristics: Existing Warehouse Office
Size: 2,675 SF
Construction cost: withheld
Completion date: November 2015

More at https://m1dtw.com/jb-cutting