MR WAS ASKED TO DESIGN THIS UNIQUE WORK ENVIRONMENT LOCATED ON TWO FLOORS OF A NEW CORPORATE TOWER IN CHELSEA FOR A REPEAT CLIENT FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF SEVERAL RESIDENCES FOR THEM, ALONG WITH A SMALL OFFICE. EACH FLOOR OF THE SPACE FEATURES FULL-HEIGHT WINDOWS THAT PROVIDE A 360-DEGREE VIEW OF THE CITY. THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO CREATE A MORE HOMELIKE AND CASUAL TAKE ON THE TRADITIONAL OFFICE. THE DESIGN TEAM CHOSE TO EXPOSE THE SPRINKLERS, DUCTWORK AND NEW LIGHTING, IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE VERTICAL SPACE. NEW INTERIOR FULL-HEIGHT GLASS PARTITIONS WERE EMPLOYED TO DELINIATE PRIVATE AREAS AND CONFERENCE ROOMS. THIS ARCHITECTURAL MOVE NOT ONLY FLOODS THE ENTIRE FLOOR WITH NATURAL LIGHT AND EXPANSIVE VIEWS, BUT IT ALSO CREATES A MORE SEAMLESS FLOW THROUGHOUT THE OFFICE. WITHIN THE OPEN FLOORPLAN, MANY AREAS ARE DEFINED SOLELY BY FURNITURE INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL WALLS, ALLOWING FOR EASY MODIFICIATIONS WHILE ADDING TO THE OVERALL SENSE OF OPENNESS.

ONE OF THE STANDOUT FEATURES OF THIS PROJECT WAS THE INTEGRATION OF THE CLIENT’S IMPRESSIVE ART COLLECTION. WHILE THE FEW WALLS INSIDE THE SPACE MADE THIS CHALLENGING, SOME OF THE FURNISHINGS COULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED ART, WHICH MEANT THAT ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS NEEDED TO BE CURATED AND CAREFULLY PLACED. ANOTHER INTERESTING ASPECT OF THE PROJECT IS THAT THE FURNISHINGS MR SELECTED INCLUDE MORE UPHOLSTERED AND SOLID WOOD PIECES THAN ONE TYPICALLY FINDS IN AN OFFICE. THE END RESULT IS A HIGHLY PERSONALIZED, UNIQUE AND FUNCTIONAL NEW HOME FOR THIS FIRM’S DAY-TO-DAY WORK.

PHOTOS: THOMAS LOOF