Confidential Financial Firm
Category
INworkplace Mid (15K sf - 40K sf)
Description
Firm: IA Interior Architects
Project Name: Confidential Financial Firm
Project Statement: During the early phase of the pandemic, this New York based financial institution, engaged us to radically reimagine its standard executive-client/workplace-center as a hybrid-work environment to reduce desking, transition to free address, and blur the lines between client hospitality and employee social spaces. The new executive client center in San Diego, with 50% of overall space dedicated to social interaction and collaboration, is the first realization of that standard (with more to come), combining a unique venue for the financial institution’s team, clients, and visitors with a hospitality-forward ambiance reflective of the region’s mission-style architecture and relaxed sophistication.
The overall design offers convenience and an elevated hospitality-type experience for work and anticipated entertaining. Users, clients, and guests can freely amble throughout a series of open and enclosed meeting and collaboration spaces designed to flex for events of any size such as social gatherings, TED-Talk presentations and intimate, confidential client meetings. The variety of spaces and seating arrangements provide choice and convenience. With no assigned workstations, employees use lockers and hot desking, though workpoints can be reserved.
Millwork archways serve as portals and are key design elements with a nod to the mission style. From the welcoming reception lounge and coffee bar, a progression of archways sit along a main corridor creating a gallery that leads past intimate libraries, an array of work settings, and a multipurpose, flexible boardroom, ultimately arriving at the “Commons Club,” an open area with tables and chairs, clustered video screens, and a pantry and kitchen for employee and client use. A curated selection of the client’s extensive art collection as well as works by local San Diego creatives are purposefully integrated into the design at the gallery, lit niches, arched millwork with shelving, and selected furniture.
Textured glass, another design element, contributes to the light, elegant space. At one meeting room, three millwork arches, infilled with textured glass where the wall would normally be, offers an elusive visual impression of the adjacent common area and vice versa while providing privacy. Two of the arches have shelves that extend on both sides of the glass. The third archway frames the door made entirely of textured glass. At meeting rooms and the libraries, telescoping bronze-framed doors feature textured-glass inserts in lieu of film for privacy.
What once would have been a conventional boardroom, is now a shared multiuse space for client-hosting, events, and all hands gatherings enhanced with a wood-coffered ceiling, a lounge area, and a huge live-edge table with chairs for dining or meetings.
Warm woods, walnut and spalted maple, soft curves, clean lines, and meticulous attention to surfaces and textures are complemented by a subtle palette of white, grays, blues, and watercolor carpets against the richness of the millwork and the design’s minimalist refinement.
Through diligent coordination efforts with our consultant team, this project was awarded LEED Silver. This includes thoughtful material selection in finishes and construction materials as well as coordination with our lighting designers and engineers to ensure proper lighting levels are reached. In addition, we ensure sound levels were adequate for all use-types (work, meeting, presentation, etc) through careful coordination with our acoustical engineer.
The overall hospitality design and soft palette of materials creates a calming and comfortable setting for the variety of work and collaboration settings. A Wellness and Mother's room was also provided.
Darwen Hinton
Senior Designer
Clark Pickett
Design Director
Mark Heaviland
Project Manager
Ken Hamm
Senior Job Captain
Jonathan Wood
Technical Director
General Contractor | Turner Construction | Zachary Heckerson | Superintendent
General Contractor
Turner Construction
Zachary Heckerson
Superintendent
Lighting Design | Interior Architects | Gary Bouthillette | Senior Director of Lighting Design
Lighting Design
Interior Architects
Gary Bouthillette
Senior Director of Lighting Design
MEP Engineer | H+W Engineering | Matt Fuller | Mechanical Engineer
MEP Engineer
H+W Engineering
Matt Fuller
Mechanical Engineer
Acoustical Engineer | Tenor Engineering | Erik Miller-Klein | Principal of Acoustical Engineering
Acoustical Engineer
Tenor Engineering
Erik Miller-Klein
Principal of Acoustical Engineering
LEED Consultant | JLL | Paige Alderoty | Project Manager
LEED Consultant
JLL
Paige Alderoty
Project Manager
Furniture Dealer | EvensonBest | Danielle Kalamaras | Project Manager
Furniture Dealer
EvensonBest
Danielle Kalamaras
Project Manager
Accessories Consultant | Objekts | Julie Gunter | Project Manager
Accessories Consultant
Objekts
Julie Gunter
Project Manager