The latest tech office expansion into additional space of the client’s current building, the project worked to remedy lessons learned from the culture and space use by the start-up. As a growing start-up with a dynamic group of departments and expansion to global offices, acoustics and spatial divisions in an open office became key components to develop. The open plan exposes the operational features of visual division, acoustic dampening and variable lighting through tectonic and construction details as final design features.

The company's identity is reinforced by accenting the structure with green. A variation of the green is introduced through a series of moss panels. The moss panels and ash wood millwork brings natural elements into the space infusing living elements into a space of network cables and circuit boards.

The meeting rooms limit sound transference through the saw tooth configuration to mitigate construction seams between rooms. The metal stud walls are infilled with acoustic cellulose. The cellulose is clad in expanded metal mesh, exposing it to reduce echo and increase sound absorption.

Felt walls define the meeting and lounge spaces without visually restricting the open office plan. The felt visually and acoustically provides a soft screen between the open office to phone rooms and meeting spaces to common areas. The twist maximizes material exposure to provide additional acoustic dampening to the space.

2,300 SF / April 2016 / Ann Arbor, MI

Contractor - O'Neal Construction

Photography - Ryan Southen