Category Archives: Design Inspirations

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AOL refreshes its homepage with a new West Coast headquarters designed by Studio O+A

While the rest of the economy continues a slow recovery, everything from established global corporations to entrepreneurial startups are flourishing in the tech sector. But let’s not forget where it all started. At the age of (almost) 27, Internet pioneer AOL is already “old” by techy standards. But that has not prevented the company from adopting a fresh, young attitude, as evidenced in the design of its new West Coast headquarters in Palo Alto, CA, by Primo Orpilla, Verda Alexander and team, of San Francisco-based Studio O+A

In an effort to reinvent itself following its merger with and eventual split from Time Warner, AOL launched a company-wide initiative to adapt to changes in online culture. Part of that strategy involved re-thinking its real estate. In particular, AOL’s West Coast operation needed a jump-start, according to Trent Herren, AOL’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. “We knew that in order to be successful in our turnaround, we would have to change the way we were doing business,” Herren says “We needed an open, collaborative, creative workplace. And we kind of figured that we would know it when we saw it.”

aol-studio-o-a

AOL's West Coast headquarters in Palo Alto, CA, was designed by Studio O+A to revitalize the company's entrepreneurial culture and create an office environment that would appeal to the next generation of collaborative workers. The design, defined by transparency, openness, and the use of simple, genuine materials, uses carpet to help define space and delineate transitions. Photography by Jasper Sanidad.

The company hired O+A—a firm with an excellent reputation for creating high-performance workplaces for Silicon Valley clients—to provide the necessary injection of energy.  “AOL needed to hit the reset button,” says Orpilla. “They had to rebrand their space if they wanted to compete for the best talent. This was an opportunity to get employees on board and energized. The workplace they had didn’t speak to that need.”

The existing space had a distinctly 1980s corporate aesthetic, including drop ceilings, high cubicle walls separating employees, dark finishes, and oblique lines. “The space had 12-to-15-year-old Silicon Valley details and functionality all over it,” says Orpilla. “The question became, how do we effectively remove those elements and get back to the basics.”

Some 80,000 sq. ft. on three floors were transformed into a clean white envelope with exposed ceilings and structure, 48-in. cubicle walls, expansive open space, and more shared areas, essentially creating the spatial equivalent of the transparency AOL was bringing to every aspect of its business. “Instead of five or six big conference rooms, we have 30 to 40 small conference rooms,” notes Herren. “It has encouraged our team to take a fresh look at their workspace. People are collaborating now.” Meeting spaces vary, from open lounge areas, platforms, and glass-walled conference spaces to a series of translucent, circular pods positioned throughout the main work areas and a common area that is part kitchen/part playroom, and even to corridors and tops of freestanding files. All are intended to encourage informal collaboration and spontaneous creativity.

“We also wanted to keep it real, with no frills, relating the space back to AOL’s new customer base,” says Alexander. “There is nothing overtly extravagant.” This pared down aesthetic is expressed with simple and genuine materials like concrete floors, oriented strand board, industrial lighting and detailing, and IdeaPaint (which turns vertical surfaces into white boards). Bold graphics and area rugs created from carpet tile help define space and add dimensionality.

“Space transitions were indicated by the ceiling systems above and the floors below,” says Orpilla. “We defined space via the flooring in many cases—for example, to delineate the change from corridors to work spaces. What’s underneath became very intuitive.”

How is AOL liking its new space? They know a good thing when they see it.

“Studio O+A’s work speaks for itself,” says Herren. “The space has a lot more energy. There is really something to be said for changing your physical environment.”

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More sustainable, durable alternative for military families

It’s one of our most recent success stories – InterfaceFLOR partnered with Lend Lease, a property solutions provider responsible for about 40,000 U.S. military homes, to institute a flooring solution that has resulted in notable cost-savings and increased efficiencies for Lend Lease and its tenants. In this issue of Defense Communities Magazine, learn how InterfaceFLOR and Lend Lease created a more sustainable, durable alternative for military families. Read More.

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Beautiful Boutiques with a Flair for Color and Design

“Jewel boxes” – that’s how architect and designer Doug Larson refers to some J. McLaughlin stores. For these typically small, highly decorated boutiques, it’s a perfect comparison. Driven by a passion for pattern and color, J. McLaughlin puts a unique spin on classic styles with clothing and accessories that are beautiful, fun and meant to last. And the stores in which they’re sold must evoke that same playful sense of style.

For stores that use carpet tile, the colors used in the floor are the foundation for the rest of the interior.

“We want to make things fun and exciting and with all the colors available, the carpet tiles certainly do that. I build from the floor up with fabrics and paint colors. I can tone any paint and I can go through the warehouse and pick out fabrics from J. McLaughlin’s line to work with your carpet tiles.”

But it wasn’t just the breadth of color that attracted Larson to InterfaceFLOR tiles. He also saw their inherent design potential. By using multiple colors to create distinct patterns, (even cutting tiles into quarters for smaller scale designs) Larson further incorporates the look of J. McLaughlin’s clothing and accessories. “I realized right away that I could make plaids out of them,” he says. “Being able to take two colors a shade apart and get four tiles to make a plaid or gingham design is really cool. I like that because J. McLaughlin has gingham shirts. They have plaids. It’s kind of a preppy thing, which is their market niche, and it also speaks to weaving and textiles.”

Co-founder Kevin McLaughlin adds, “We’re not just selling sweaters; we’re selling a lifestyle. The setting in which it’s sold is important and Doug understands our clothing and how to create the right environment. The carpet tile is fun and versatile and brings out that aspect of our brand.”

More Than Just a Pretty Face

The switch from broadloom to carpet tile was not only because of its aesthetic capabilities, but also because it’s a very practical solution for many of J. McLaughlin’s busy stores. Unhappy with the difficulty of installing and maintaining commercial broadloom and bored with the color options, the flexibility of InterfaceFLOR carpet tile was a welcome change.

Carpet tile installs faster than traditional roll carpet and with much less waste. And unlike broadloom, soiling or damage doesn’t require professional attention. Larson says that in-house staff can easily handle issues that arise. “We always have attic stock at each store but we clean the tiles first. When they don’t come clean, the staff can just pick up the damaged one and replace it.”

Beyond selective replacement, the ability to simply move carpet tiles from one location to another is immensely beneficial – both for efficiency and cost. Larson explains that occasionally J. McLaughlin will open a “pop-up” store to see how it will perform in a certain town. If it doesn’t work out, they remove everything, including the carpet tile, cabinets and light fixtures for use elsewhere.

“Moving and changing carpet tiles is a distinct advantage. We don’t need to keep making new capital investments every time we open a store. These carpet tiles are an inexpensive way to have reusable carpeting that’s aligned with the brand and available in fun, exciting colors. And you know, we could just never do this with commercial broadloom carpeting. It’s been a great product. It’s a lot of fun to work with.”

Project Details
Facilities J. McLaughlin

Locations Shown
Brooklyn Heights and New York, NY; Nashville, TN

Architect/Design Firm
Larson and Paul Architects

InterfaceFLOR Products Shown
Viva Colores™ in Verde Jade, Azul Verdoso, Verde, Verde Amarillo, Berilo, Esmeralda and Prado
Flor® in Anthracite
Super Flor™ in Seville Passion, Pine, Forest and Primavera
Paint Box™ in Marigold and Cayenne
Menagerie™ in Pumpkin

Photography Credits
All photos by Patrick Mulcahy

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Luxury + Sustainability: Brian Wilson Reveals Interface HOSPITALITY’s New Approach to the Industry

Many of us perceive the terms “luxury” and “sustainability” as being separate ideals of design. So, how do we find balance between creating a beautiful space while remaining mindful of the resources we use? We’ve done away with the conventional notion that insists that luxury must follow excess by engineering our products to be more visually indulgent yet remain true to our standard of sustainability. Interface HOSPITALITY‘s aim is to change this notion; luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive ideals.

In the video below, Brian Wilson elaborates on how Interface HOSPITALITY plans to balance the two ideals to redefine luxury. Less is more, form must always follow function; and sustainability, aesthetics and performance must be kept in harmony. Interface HOSPITALITY is creating the framework for the future of Hospitality one modular carpet tile at a time:

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Charley Knight Introduces Interface HOSPITALITY

InterfaceFLOR is headed to HD Expo 2011 with a newly organized division dedicated exclusively to the hospitality industry. Interface HOSPITALITY is being led by Charley Knight, a 17-year industry veteran who is building a team to more aggressively pursue business opportunities in the hospitality space.

Watch what Charley had to say about the new Interface HOSPITALITY, and the impact we plan to make on the industry, starting with HD Expo 2011. You can learn more about Interface HOSPITALITY by reading our Press Release, or by visiting www.interfacehospitality.com

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