Work Life

The office (for many of us) is the centre of our work lives and we likely spend more of our waking hours there, than we do in our homes. Contemporary research and thinking have shifted the way we experience the work place of today, both in terms of productivity and worker happiness.   When we were asked to design new offices for Deans Knight Capital Management, we set out to create a place that not only supported work task, but also work life. The dematerialized office place (taking down walls) facilitates better communications and collaboration, but requires greater emphasis on the quality of the space for all (equality).  To balance the open plan we designed community hospitality spaces that enable privacy, conferencing or just a tête-à-tête over coffee at the island bar. 

Visually we were inspired by the classic mid-century offices, created by the likes of Florence Knoll and SOM.  Expropriating a confident material palette and modesty of form, reinterpreted in spaces that promote the work style of our time.  These preview shots were taken on move day, more of the project to follow both here and on our web site soon.

Condo Remix

The Spring/Summer issue of Western Living Condo, remixes a project feature from last falls Dream Home edition.  Many thanks to Michael Harris (Editor) + his publication team, for the  appreciable coverage and on going attention to our work, in the pages of their magazines. 

Serendipity

Savage Beauty

By happy coincidence, when I was in New York last month (to begin a new project), my client asked if I'd like to accompany her to an Alexander McQueen fall preview luncheon.  I've been an admirer of McQueen from his early (rather dark) break out days, and Savage Beauty has topped my coffee table since the Met exhibition (2011). Sarah Burton who now leads the house of McQueen hosted the event, in the SOHO showroom of BDDW.  It was an extraordinary pairing of visual uniqueness.  In addition to the beautiful feathery garments on mannequins we were treated to the an inspiring runway presentation.  The innovative BDDW showroom was the perfect foil, for these fluid silhouettes.  As an interior designer every visual experience is stored in our collected memory, playing a role to fashion our own aesthetic perspective.  This one rocked.

Fall 2012 Alexander McQueen 

BDDW SOHO, NYC