Case Study

Double Click

Introduction

An unusual challenge Helfand Myerberg Guggenheimer architects faced:

How to swiftly design temporary offices of an expanding Internet advertising company? Time and budget were primary concerns. With an open plan of just under 5,000 square feet, including both a large trading floor and semi-private offices, the space had to be expediently designed to accommodate the large number of employees.

Case Study

First, a series of diagonal elements helped to reduce the density of the space, as well as to help differentiate the existing structure from the installation. Modular workstations, partitions, carpeting, and ceiling were designed using a bold palette of inexpensive, unusual materials, all off the shelf.

The materials chosen include: parallel strand lumber (parallel beam), corrugated fiberglass panels (resolite) and chalkboard wall panels (Vitrasteel). These materials consistently demonstrated great potential for delivering highly innovative results. Parallam originally designed for high strength/low cost structural applications, helped produce freestanding pre-fabricated workstations. Corrugated fiberglass, often an industrial roofing material, became modular panels, creating screen walls to separate office areas. Porcelain-enameled steel panels, typically used for school blackboards, served as wall cladding surrounding the service core as well as the back of workstations, and also doubling as a flexible information exchange for chalk message, markers, or notes attached with magnets.

Conclusion

This was the first of the several projects done in collaboration between Material ConneXion and Helfand Myeberg Guggenheimer architects. This case shows how traditional materials can be used quickly and in an innovative way to offer new and exciting low-cost solutions.