[All photos by BUILD LLC]
We recently completed the tenant improvement for Society Consulting in Bellevue, Washington and while the work is complete, the project isn’t done. Once the paint dries, after the last coat hook has been fastened to the wall, and when the last chair is rolled into its appropriate spot at the conference table, there’s still one thing left. It’s probably the most important ingredient of them all and it’s what makes the space extraordinary: the people.
Society is a dynamic operation run by individuals who are triathletes, oenophiles, epicureans, and design connoisseurs. In a nutshell, they’re up to big things inside and outside of the office. We quickly realized during the schematic design process that an office bustling with this level of activity and interests would demand a design that could keep pace with the personalities behind the brand.
In a previous post, we covered the impact that simple surface treatments did for this space. Today, we get to show off photos of the finished result of the project in its entirety, complete with descriptions. But the most important images are yet to come. Not until Society moves into the space, interacts with the design and settles in, will the images truly show the function and fun of the design. So stay tuned.
The Society tangram logo, by David Heck Murals, greets visitors at the upper entry, leads them through the space and down to the lower level “Living Room” and additional office space.
The Living Room is the heart of space, allowing individuals to lounge, groups to meet, and informal interaction to occur. The free-form nature of the space allows the users to mix up the design with throw pillows, lounge chairs and tables. The wood framed construction is sheathed with finish-grade plywood and outfitted with custom steel stair treads and handrails. The bleacher cushions were custom fabricated with yellow piping through the Friendly Foam Shop.
The “Yellow Brick Road” extends from the Society logo at the living room all the way through the space and out the lower level door. It defines the circulation corridor of the space and gives the room a slick racing stripe in Society’s favorite color.
Adjacent to the yellow brick road resides the chalkboard wall clock. The over-sized hands and numbers let everyone know the time while the interactive chalkboard lets them know how long until happy hour.
Behind the chalkboard wall clock are storage cubbies, wall hooks for coats, a small kitchenette and a spot to hang your favorite coffee mug. Tree branch wall paper by ferm LIVING via 2modern, coat hooks and mug hooks by Sugatsune.
His and hers restrooms are located down the hall, behind the Living Room bleachers. Each yellow tile clad bathroom is outfitted with shower facilities. (Did we mention how active this tribe is?) The design team also decided to make a feature wall out of the paper product storage.
The four private phone booths were an important requirement of the space and each is outfitted with telephone wall decals and a simple sitting bench, desk combo.
Just outside the phone booth area is the “Library,” a mini-lounge clad with bookshelf wallpaper and a (soon to arrive) groovy lounge chair.
The conference room employs a mammoth custom site built conference table in the Society colors. Supplementing all the important meetings in this room is a undulating cabinet which provides places to sit, surfaces to serve food and refreshments and big storage bins underneath.
Last but not least is the map wall, where the team will document where they’re from, where they’ve been, and perhaps where their next trip will be, who knows? Either way, we’re looking forward to seeing it filled out.
Clients that are active and involved in the world around them are always a pleasure to work with; their interests offer something substantial to the design process and this project is an excellent example. We had a ton of fun working with Society on this project and we’re looking forward to seeing the space filled up with fun people.
Cheers from Team BUILD