We were easily able to achieve and control the overall physical and psychological health of the design by carefully choosing and specifying the Shaw Contract products we did. We considered this project special since it was architectural and interior designers working for our cousins in urban planning, as it were. The majority of the client’s staff members and partners were also former architects. We wanted to focus on their location high up in downtown Los Angeles and propose a perch to celebrate the values of California. Their desire for openness, while impressive, also competed with their needs for privacy and collaboration areas. The design therefore proposed a space plan based on pairs of spaces, rather than individual adjacent uses. These pairs of positive and negative elements serve each other based on specific rules. Three primary ‘pods’ were proposed. These were the only fully enclosed areas (as shown in the diagram plans attached) defining a basic armature. All other uses then paired with these pods depending on privacy needs. As a result, there are no fully enclosed offices; only open, semi-private or group workplaces. Collaboration and conferencing needs are met by two conference areas, large and small, that book-end the open work area. Acoustic privacy is provided by a phone booth. The firm is therefore, free to use any spatial combination it sees fit, without losing any functional needs. The touch-down lounge and break area was placed at the far end from the entrance, by the dramatic corner. At the intersection of all views, it forces visitors and staff to co-mingle at this outer extremity. It reminds all users every day, of the scale of work they perform and their unique place in the metropolis of Los Angeles.
Location
Los Angeles, California, USA
Design Firm
CHA:COL
Segment(s)
Collection
View
Products Used
scape tile
reflect tile
earth tone tile
Awards/Certifications
2017 Design Award Final Winner