Where Art & Science Collide
A new home for research-driven engineering teams, our confidential tech client’s program elements and close proximity to UC Berkeley supports future collaborations with the university. The client’s key leadership and user groups collaborated with our design team to understand their specific needs for an inherently healthy, inclusive, and resilient workplace.
The compact space plan supports their agile team members, including the local academic community. The layout enables fluid project-based collaborations, impromptu interactions, and choice-driven work styles. Unique art installations and custom-stained wood paneling reflect the color and materials found in the local craftsman homes. A set of dividers, adorned with an isometric mural by Nigel Sussman, showcase locations that add to Berkeley’s vibrant culture.
The interior concept is rooted in the client’s workplace guidelines and draws inspiration from the visioning sessions with end-users. For instance, an art installation in the hub represents the impressive 16 elements that Berkeley’s scientists have contributed to the modern periodic table. The stakeholders also aided in the wallcovering selection, resulting in the use of wall covering patterns that honor the style of local artist, David Lance Goines.
The central hub fosters positive user experiences and promotes sustainable design techniques that improve employee wellness. As requested by the user groups, a large communal dining table near the kitchen supports working lunches. A custom “Minesweeper” graphic directs guests to the adjacent game lounge.
A maker space located around the corner from the hub provides another avenue for users to play and explore their professional passions. Flexible meeting spaces, distributed throughout the floorplan, double as team rooms or quiet lounges. Amenities such as the meditation room and mother’s room create beneficial health outcomes for the employees and their families.
The office suite utilizes a raised access flooring system for power, data, and air supply. This future flexible system allows the client to make minor changes as they grow, ensuring they are able to quickly adjust to new and unexpected demands from the stakeholders with minimal construction to their existing infrastructure.
