Design Transitions | Issue 1

PROJECT In 2012 TechTown Detroit hired Detroit based architectural firm - Centric Design Studio to redesign the 1st floor of its office building.

The idea was to create a welcoming presence for TechTown, create a cool Co-Working experience and arrange an orderly floor plan that could display the energy of entrepreneurship.

The result was a dynamic open and orderly floor plan. Centric Design Studio opened up the interior space by removing existing partitions and exposing the exterior windows to bring in natural light.

The renovated plan allows great flexibility for co-working. The entrepreneurship energy is on full Display from nearly every side and angle of the 1st floor making this one of the best Co-Working spaces in the City of Detroit.

- Damon Thomas - Design Director for Centric Design Studio

Centric Design Studio | 1

BEFORE Like most commercial spaces, the reception desk serves as a focal point in welcoming guests.

TechTown’s previous desk (pictured above) was small and barley accommodated 2 people (Receptionist & Security).

Letter mail and parcels were sorted here to be distributed to tenant mail boxes in the building (see tenant mail box area on page 18). Often, parcels had to be stacked outside of the desk area prior to sorting which caused clutter.

2 | Design Transitions - Issue 1

AFTER The new reception desk comfortably accommodates 3 to 4 people. The larger area allows for sorting of mail and parcels without cluttering space outside of the desk area.

The new reception desk design accommodates guests with Disabilities by meeting ADA standards, a feature the previous reception desk design didn’t offer.

The desk is set back, allowing guests to step into the space for assistance. The ceiling cloud with hanging pendant lights provide a great focal point in the space.

Centric Design Studio | 3

BEFORE The existing first floor had one main corridor that provided access to conference rooms, restrooms, co-working and community kitchen area.

Pictured above is the main corridor looking toward the freight elevator.

Pictured right is the same corridor looking toward the main passenger elevator.

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AFTER The redesign of the main corridor included removal of existing vinyl composite tile in lieu of the existing concrete floor that was ground and sealed.

Conference room walls were opened up using aluminum storefront system. Vinyl wall graphics were added as daily inspiration for the entrepreneurs guests and tenants that walk the halls of the facility.

Small 2 person conference rooms were added along the corridors (pictured to the right).

Centric Design Studio | 5

BEFORE As a business incubator, TechTown offers conference rooms of various sizes to its tenants. These conference rooms are also available to guest for rent.

The existing conference rooms unfortunately were scattered and hard to find on the 1st floor. The design of the existing conference rooms made it difficult to know if a room was occupied, being totally closed off with walls and solid doors (pictured above).

The rooms provided basic needs with chairs, conference table and marker board.

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AFTER Centric Design Studio upgraded the layout of the conference rooms allowing for guest to easily locate them.

Centric Design Studio selected doors with full vision glass to easily allow anyone to see if a conference room is occupied or locate your meeting group. All conference room furniture was upgraded and marker boards replaced with dry eraser paint.

All conference rooms were provided with acoustic dropped ceilings or ceiling clouds to assist with absorbing sound within the room.

Centric Design Studio | 7

BEFORE The existing reception and soft seating area was sometimes used as a small event space (see page 25 for new event space).

Often this existing space went unused as seen above. Hidden offices, conference rooms and tenant mail box area are hidden beyond the red painted and plywood panel walls pictured above.

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AFTER At TechTown’s request Centric Design Studio relocated TechTown’s 2nd floor office suite to the 1st floor. This makes for a visible “front door” welcome center.

By relocating the existing offices, conference rooms and the tenant mail box area Centric Design Studio was able to add more space to the new suite and provide natural day light.

Centric Design Studio | 9

BEFORE Pictured above is the existing reception/soft seating area looking East. (Currently TechTown Detroit office suite, see page 9).

The existing reception desk and Co-Working space are in the background.

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AFTER Centric Design Studio re-designed the 1st floor by planning and relocating and grouping the conference rooms to the center of the 1st floor area. This allowed natural day light to pour into the space.

The result was an open, well lit, energetic space.

Centric Design Studio | 11

BEFORE Pictured above is the existing reception/soft seating area. Also seen to the right of the photo is the doorway to the main conference/ event space.

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AFTER Pictured above is the re-designed reception desk and 2 conference re-designed rooms.

Centric Design Studio | 13

BEFORE Pictured above and to the right is the existing Co-Working space.

The existing space lacked natural daylight, flexibility and openness.

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AFTER The re-designed Co-Working space is larger, more flexible and inviting.

Furniture upgrades include soft seating, desks and work tables.

Centric Design Studio | 15

BEFORE Pictured above is the existing Burroughs Cafe which was totally separated from TechTown area.

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AFTER The Burroughs Cafe was demolished in lieu of the current community/pop up kitchen (page 21) which allows outside food vendors and caterers the opportunity to sell food to TechTown staff, business tenants and co-working tenants.

Centric Design Studio | 17

BEFORE All details were addressed by Centric Design Studio. Pictured above is the existing tenant mail box area. The original location was in the current TechTown suite area which blocked natural sunlight.

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AFTER The new location of the mail boxes was placed away from the exterior perimeter of the building and designed with more lighting.

Two counters were added for tenants to sort mail.

Centric Design Studio | 19

BEFORE The existing community kitchen was located in a break area near the end of the main corridor.

The drawbacks to this layout is the lack of natural daylight and the disconnection to everything on the 1st floor.

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AFTER The re-design of the community kitchen also serves as a pop up kitchen for outside food vendors.

The new location is just outside the re-designed special event space and adjacent to the Co-Working space.

Like the Co-Working space, the re-designed break room area has natural daylight.

Centric Design Studio | 21

BEFORE TechTown’s existing main conference room was also used for seminars training and special events.

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AFTER The new large conference room was redesigned with upgraded technology and new furniture.

Centric Design Studio also opened the East wall using a aluminum storefront system allowing users visibility to the space beyond as well as exterior windows.

Centric Design Studio | 23

BEFORE Pictured above is the large conference room (looking West).

As mentioned on page 22, the room also is used for seminars, training and special events.

The existing size of this room often proved to small for special events.

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AFTER Centric Design Studio created a multipurpose event space that could accommodate TechTown’s desired large conferences, seminars and special events.

The operable partition allows the special event space to be divided into 2 smaller rooms if desired.

Centric Design Studio | 25

CREDITS Architect of Record, Design + Planning | Centric Design Studio Interior Design | Patrick Thomson Design Mechanical, Electrical + Plumbing Engineering | Ghafari Structural Engineering | JMS Engineering Services General Contractor | Phoenix Contracting Periodical Layout + Editing | Damon Thomas Before + After Photos | Damon Thomas Cover Photo + Page 17 Photo | John D’Angelo

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NEXT In the next issue of Design Transitions, we will take a look at another project by Centric Design Studio: David Klein Gallery - Detroit