10 Steps: for planning success into your new workspace.
General Mills & Annie’s Homegrown Offices: 30,000 sf Berkeley, CA Adaptive re-use of a tilt-up warehouse to create a day-lit, flexible, amenity rich work arena for multiple product teams at the progressive organic foods company. Shortly after completing their new offices Annie’s launched an IPOand was acquired by General Mills.
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10 steps to successful workplace design:
1) Identity & Branding
Your new workplace is where you will create value for your enterprise. Your environment can reinforce your company’s identity and become a potent branding message for your team, your clients, and your marketplace. Don’t underestimate the opportunity for enhancing your organization’s performance by giving shape to its values & aspirations.
2) Your Design Team & Building Permits
Your success in achieving the best results for your office renovation or relocation will depend in large part on the skill of your design team. That starts with having an experienced real estate broker to find the right space and help negotiate fair lease terms. It extends to selecting knowledgeable architects and the consultants they will coordinate which may include: Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Title-24 energy, Fire & ADA code, Acoustic, Landscape, Signage, Security, & Interior Design specialists. Also, early collaboration with a reputable general contractor can help keep a project in budget. If zoning regulations define your enterprise as a “change of use”, you may need planning approvals. See if Bldg. Permit plancheck expediting is available. The City may issue separate bldg. permits for demolition and sitework which can jumpstart construction.
3) Programming, Budget & Schedule
Your new offices will only be as good as your programming. Provide your architects with a detailed document of your business operations, your space needs, your project schedule and your budget. Give them the time and access to your entire staff to allow them to learn as much as possible about your company: its operations, its history, its strengths, its deficits, its needs, and its goals. Request a data-driven, consensus authored, in-depth program. Assign a single point of contact for your Design Team and organize your chain of command for clear-cut, rapid decision making. Timely choices will help your schedule.
4) Planning Flexibility & Sustainability
Your situation will not remain static over time. You need a workplace that is adaptable to the evolution of your company’s transactions and culture. Ask your architect to demonstrate with 3D perspectives how the preferred floorplan will accommodate growth and change. Challenge assumptions and seek inspiration. Stay with it until you’ve got the plan that feels right and works best. As early as possible begin the discussion about what role sustainability will play in your new offices. Consider making a commitment to LEED or Greenpoint criteria and confirm the minimum required standards of your municipality.
Utility.com: 67,000 sf, Emeryville. Garage door conference room, oval glass phone booth / electric car entry icon.
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5) Design for Teamwork and the Individual
Improving teamwork and individual staff performances can be balanced as complementary solutions. Central to teamwork is clarity of circulation and defined work territories that keep teammates and project managers within earshot and eyesight of each other. Add in opportunities for unscheduled encounters with signature reception areas, small and large conference rooms, micro-meeting alcoves, company-wide gathering spaces, well equipped commissaries, office libraries, stadium stairs, and integrated executive offices. Individual productivity often relies on the ability to shut out acoustic and visual distractions. Many workstation systems and community private offices can address these issues.
6) Nuts & Bolts, Energy & Light
Avoid large scale structural renovations to your space and make sure you have adequate power to serve your electrical demand. Locate plumbing close to water & waste lines and in multi-level offices stack your fixtures. Remember that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires the ground floor to offer the same functions found on upper levels, or else an elevator will be necessary. Assess the cost impact of current Title-24 Energy Code requirements. Much of your budget can get eaten up by things you never see. Confirm the selected HVAC systems will meet your needs. Take a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of your design to avoid surprises during construction. Good lighting is essential for working at peak performance. Dimmable LED systems are available that allow fine tuning by users and provide a foundation for energy conservation. On-demand task lighting and photo-cell dimmers can also significantly reduce overall electrical demands. Controlled natural light is a gift to any workplace and with creative planning it can become an integral part of your lighting solution. Energy conservation strategies include passive systems such as exterior & interior sunshading, and point-of-use control for solar-assisted HVAC systems
7) Furniture & Workstation Selection
There is a wide range of workstation products that can precisely meet the demands of your business including pre-owned systems (inherently eco-friendly). The proportions, materials, finishes and color will set the look for your entire office and should be consistent with your brand. Functionality must equally serve private offices, individual workstations, and common worktables. Work surface area, acoustical privacy, number of computer screens, and storage are all factors. Reconfigurable modular systems can adapt to growth. Selecting special furniture for reception area desks & seating, and conference room tables & chairs, within your budget is a major skillset. Work with the best interior design talent available. You want to have something good to show for the investment of your valuable time and money.
Equinox Executive Retreat: 8,000 sf, Tiburon. Panoramic lounge, entry fireplace cylinder, outdoor BBQ dining.
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8)
Signage, Security, Landscaping & Art
Well-conceived signage that serves a uniform way-finding and information role reaffirms the message that you have an organized, smooth running operation. A security plan that addresses access for employees, maintenance crews, and the public must all be thought through carefully. The convenience and security capacity of monitoring systems, keys, fobs, intercoms, smart phone access and retina and fingerprint systems should all be evaluated in the context of how your office is used and how often there is staff turnover. Interior landscaping, with easily maintained specimens, can bring a welcome touch of nature into the office experience. Finally the addition of well-chosen art (paintings, graphics & sculpture) can elevate the identity of your entire space.
9) Construction The construction phase is the moment of truth for your schedule, your budget, and the quality of your built project. Working with a contractor early in the design phases on a negotiated bid basis can result in a smoother, faster, and in-budget construction process. Competitive bidding can deliver the lowest construction cost, but make sure the low bidder is qualified in terms of license, bonding capability, lien and CSLB history, access to subcontractors, and client satisfaction. Be sure your architect first has the experience to produce a thoroughly detailed set of construction documents and then has the commitment to participate intensely during the construction phase to respond to contractor questions, issue clarifications and change orders, routinely trouble shoot and problem solve, and vigorously represent your interests. Plan on weekly site meetings to keep the project on schedule. Your ability to make decisions quickly will be rewarded.
10 Installation & Move-in An important criterion in selection of furniture and workstations is the delivery lead-time. Are the products readily available in the quantity you need within your schedule? The ordering, delivery & installation of your furnishings requires a certain logistical focus and follow-through you want to be sure your architect brings to your project. Getting it right the first time is highly desirable. The resulting fully outfitted office should exceed your expectations and set the stage for success in the next chapter of your enterprise. SF Chronicle Lobby: 1,200 sf, San Francisco. Famous front pages in glass guide visitors to reception area. Royal Coffee HQ, 11,000 sf Emeryville. Custom stainless steel handrail encourages traffic between floors. Ozumo Oakland 8,000 sf, Oakland. Immersive Japanese interiors offer a unique sushi restaurant experience.
Philip Banta
Norman Hooks
Izumi Masuda
Robert McGillis
BantaDESIGN www.bantadesign.com pbanta@bantadesign.com
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Specialists in Tenant Improvements & Interior Design wk: 510-654-3255 x 212 6050 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 cell: 415-298-9461