Andrew Davidson & Group Inc., a successful risk management company, hired I-Beam Design to create offices for their expanding business on a 7,000 square foot floor in the historic Bayard-Condict building designed by renowned architect and pioneer of the skyscraper, Louis Sullivan.
Andrew Davidson & Group's desire for a comfortable, non-hierarchical and inspiring space for their staff to communicate with each other and clients provided the impetuous for the design. Upon entering the space one sees the circular conference room, a spaceship-like centerpiece that floats in the middle of the open plan layout of distinguished Herman Miller workstations. The conference room is made of dichroic acrylic panels that change color and opacity depending on the position of the viewer relative to the room. This creates a dramatic effect that is soothing from inside and engaging from the outside.
The contemporary design is carried throughout the glass enclosed trading room and the communal dining area which features Saarinen's futuristic Tulip series of furniture and a variety of spherical lights suspended above like a mini solar system.
In keeping with the flexible work atmosphere established by the client, the reception desk is designed to rotate around one of Louis Sullivan's perfectly round columns. The desk's position is adjustable and can be relocated to another column in the space to accommodate future adjustments to the spatial configuration. Similarly, an overhead grid of raceways and power points allows for workstations to be added or removed as necessary without sacrificing design integrity. The soft ultra modern x-shaped light fixtures that appear to levitate overhead help define the work communities below and are also easily relocated, making the whole layout flexible and adaptable to future growth.
Photos by Travis Dubreuil & Andrew Davidson
