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Fox Architects preserved unique qualities of the old church
while creating a vibrant, new interior that showcases Obata’s
inventive business values. |
CREATIVESPACE
CREATIVEPEOPLE
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AN AD AGENCY,
A BREWERY, A GRAPHIC DESIGN FIRM AND A COMMUNITY AGENCY REPRESENT
THE GROWING NUMBER OF FIRMS IN GREATER ST. LOUIS WHOSE INTERIOR
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY IS TO "THINK OUT OF THE BOX."
BY JEFF DUNLAP
As an executive vice president at advertising agency Arnold Worldwide–St.
Louis, Sue Chapman travels the world to meet clients. When clients
visit her offices at Gateway One in downtown St. Louis, they often
gather in a uniquely interactive, ultra-contemporary and everywhere
comfortable space.
“We’re very collaborative with clients,” Chapman says. “Some years
ago, we decided we wanted an exceptional space for both informal
meetings and individual endeavors. We wanted to give copywriters,
art directors, account executives—and clients—a comfortable place
to meet or just think. We built out a 3,294-square-foot corner space
that would feature couches instead of conference tables, plus a
casual area for getting coffee or snacks, where people can sit,
stretch out on a sofa, or just stare out the windows.
“We wanted the space to be inspiring and diversely functional. And
it is. The ceiling is exposed, but hung with wave-like buffers.
Two, glass-walled workrooms are at one end, and it’s surrounded
by offices with sliding glass doors. There’s also a small, glass-walled
conference room. Laptops can be used anywhere and linked wirelessly
to the Internet.
“People tend to be very comfortable in this multi-dimensional area,”
says Chapman, who orchestrated the interior design project with
Susan and Jay Sparks of Sparks Design Inc. in St. Louis.
“Creating an unusual space like this had its challenges,” Chapman
recalls. “During the build-out, an architect stood outside on Market
Street to make sure that removing our ceiling would not create a
visual eyesore at street level.
“It didn’t. Although we have other conference rooms and private
offices in our business suite, this particular space has unique,
creative appeal.”
ALL FIRED UP
Obata Design Inc. in St. Louis’ LaSalle Park neighborhood confronted
a drastically different type of interior design challenge. In 2001,
fire gutted the century-old church at 1610 South Menard Street that
had been the graphic design firm’s home since the 1980s. Faced with
rebuilding, Obata selec- ted Fox Architects to help create exciting,
new offices.
Fox’s team resurrected 11,000 square feet of charred studios into
two colorful floors of creative workspace, plus an impressive mezzanine.
The main floor features a reception, a complete photo studio and
two open workstations, plus an engaging conference room and kitchen/lunchroom.
The soaring mezzanine showcases Obata’s library, conference area
and two private offices. Working with a finite budget from insurance
settlements, Fox preserved unique qualities of the old church while
creating a vibrant, new interior that showcases Obata’s inventive
business values.
“This rehabilitation provides spaces that are lyrical and playful,”
says Fox’s John Berendzen, AIA. “It contrasts with the building’s
original purpose, but with its high ceiling is very inspiring. Juxtaposing
various colors on walls and floors provides visual stimulation for
relatively little cost. As a former church, it is a magical space.
When you have that to work with, it is very exciting. Today, it
is a signature environment for a very creative business.”
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Arnold
Worldwide–St. Louis offices at Gateway One are uniquely
interactive, ultra-contemporary and comfortable. Modular,
moveable furniture allows for quick meetings at various
locations like this discussion of proposed ads among
staffers (left to right), Dave Kuhl, Molly
O’Brien, Les Diveley and Tom Tipton. |
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John Vandover of Obata Design agrees. He says with a smile, “Fox
redefined our ‘seriously creative’ workplace.”
NEW TRADITION
“How do you blend tradition with 21st century corporate ideologies?”
was the question Oculus Inc. architects pondered after meeting with
Anheuser-Busch Management Systems Group in Sunset Hills.
In August 2000, Oculus started to transform 28,101 square feet of
outdated office space into an atmosphere reflecting Anheuser-Busch’s
rich history and state-of-the-art corporate culture.
Oculus and Anheuser-Busch decided to focus most of the renovation
on the common area, known as Town Hall, and to use colorful carpet
and paint contrasts to add dimension in different rooms.
Town Hall is for collaborating, socializing and brainstorming. Today,
it is wired with phone jacks and data ports for impromptu meetings
and laptop portability. New furnishings are contemporary, modular
and on castors, so employees can configure work areas to suit their
needs. Town Hall doors lead to a conference and media room for large
audiences. Four small meeting rooms nearby contain movable, modular
furniture. Lighted display cases embedded in walls showcase Anheuser-Busch
memorabilia that energizes the facility’s comfortable, modern look.
All workstations exhibit a “light and modern” feel with soft colors,
smooth, sweeping surfaces and brushed nickel fixtures.
“This project was a ‘leap of faith’ into the 21st century for the
client,” says Ron Reim, Oculus executive vice president. “Anheuser-Busch
wanted to combine old and new traditions in a space where employees
would be comfortable and proud to work. The clean, contemporary
look appeals to professionals whose talents are on technology’s
leading edge.
“With innovative space-planning solutions, we converted an average-looking
facility into a truly interactive work environment. And we did so
with a minimal budget.”
CREATIVE CONFERENCES
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis headquarters was once
a drab, inefficient building that adversely affected employee morale
and visitor perceptions. Today, its renovated offices at 3701 Grandel
Square are engaging and efficient, communicating a sense of pride
and can-do capabilities.
With help from Metropolitan Design & Building Inc., the renovation’s
goal was to reflect dignity and generate recognition, but within
strict budgets and mindful of the Urban League’s mission as a community
resource.
Nowhere is this better reflected than in the main conference and
presentation room. There, the architects’ task was to create space
for up to 35 people, yet enable small groups to meet without feeling
overwhelmed.
The solution? A U-shaped conference table. This idea grew from working
within structural limitations imposed by a column that could not
be moved. The question was: “How to work around it?”
Today, the custom-built, U-shaped table seats up to 40 people positioned
inside and outside of the surface. Presentations originate from
either end of the room, or from inside the “U.” Circular spaces
at each table end allow four or five people to meet.
The Urban League’s remarkable conference table was constructed onsite
and is made of bird’s eye maple with mahogany borders, supported
by bases also custom-built from economical yet durable flat steel.
“This conference room is a wonderful example of using the idea of
economy as a design criterion instead of a constraint,” says Jeff
Clark of Metropolitan Design & Building Inc.
Jeff Dunlap is president of Powerline Public Relations, LLC in
St. Louis.
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