Rising real-estate costs and shrinking workstations have forced several of Workwell Partners’ clients to think outside the cubicle when it comes to laying out their space. In recent months, explosive growth has been seen coupled with a lack of inventory, forcing several New York City companies to stay in place and work with what they have.
Media company Purch tapped Workwell Partners to assist in maximizing its space for new employees. As a result of accommodating new seats and a maxed-out floor plan, Purch soon recognized that it needed to reintroduce a collaborative lounge space for its team. While in a brainstorming session with the client, it was clear that there wasn’t much room to work with in the workstation areas. However, there was a lot of potential in the reception area.
Purch loved the idea of turning the empty reception into a bustling lounge for the team, so Workwell Partners went to work on furniture solutions. The main goal was to transform the underutilized reception area into a high-energy space where the enthusiasm of the office could be shared by the Purch team and guests.
The first step was to remove the enormous reception desk and replace it with a sleek, fresh design from Alea. By replacing the existing reception desk, Workwell Partners was able to free up a lot of space, while still giving Purch’s office manager plenty of room to greet guests. Next, a solution was needed to accommodate Purch’s team lunches. Utilizing Haworth, Workwell Partners designed a counter-height table that would be used for serving lunches, as well as touchdown spaces throughout the day. Additionally, individual high-top tables were dropped in, accompanied by Haworth’s Very Side Stools to give team members plenty of seating options. To add a pop of color and comfort to the space, Workwell Partners suggested Allermuir’s Haven Bench and a few Buzzicubes from BuzziSpace. Without any construction, Workwell Partners’ design team was able to transform Purch’s reception into an energetic lounge by simply refreshing the furniture.
Purch was able to shift the reception area from being a gate between the office and guests to a lively center of social interaction and collaboration. Through evaluation of a company’s goals and utilization of flexible furniture options, businesses can create multi-functional work environments—just like Purch was able to achieve.
PHOTOS: Peter Dressel