Design Along the Edges

by Stephanie Goldberg

Recently we were tasked with converting office space to laboratory use for a client for whom we had designed the original headquarters. The renovation that provided much-needed research space created a dilemma — how to provide office and meeting space for those displaced by the renovation. So often, one simply adds desks where they can fit and move on; however, our client was very happy with the configuration of open desks, huddle rooms, and other meeting spaces. The company culture is very collaborative and interactive. The team turned their attention to the interstitial spaces, the edges of the renovation.

The edge between the new labs and the community space became the area of focus and investigation. The space, in reality a wide hallway, posed a challenge. The client wanted both space to meet and temporary work desks for employees. Instead of placing new cubicles in this location, we developed furniture that responded to the functional needs. Reflecting the playful nature of the original build-out, we designed a colorful row of long, wide tables, unencumbered by intermediate supports and so able to be adapted for a variety of uses. Each table had its own color identity, marked by accent paint on the walls, and matching edge of color along the table. The result was a “box of crayons” series of meeting and work spaces. Set in a high-traffic area, the color and rhythm created made for a fun space to pass by and added to the feel and buzz of the overall office.

Bringing focus to parts of a space that are often seen as hallways, edges, or otherwise under-utilized opens up the opportunity to add both function and new program elements to a project. The series of tables encouraged a new kind of interaction. Previously, meetings took place primarily in huddle rooms or small conference rooms. People needing a space work took their laptops to the cafe. With the new arrangement, meetings are held in a part of the office that is open, with colleagues able to stop by and join in the conversation. On any given day, meetings are ongoing, individuals are working at their laptops. Within the office it has opened up the conversation about what makes a good meeting space. After a month of using the tables the team found that the desire is for more of these interstitial meeting or touch-down spaces, both in the office and in the lab.

So often designers are focused on the program exclusively. What we discovered is that, while it is critical to solve the program, it is equally important to take a step back and look for opportunities to create new interactions within the spaces we create. The public nature of the location, next to the community space/cafe, combined with the simplicity of the idea, colorful long tables, created new opportunities for interaction and collaboration and started people rethinking how they might want to work, not just there, but throughout the company.