Dyer Brown’s renovation and the recent redesign of its own headquarters borrowed liberally from hospitality and residential palettes. The resulting design produced the kind of collaborative environment suited to WinnCompanies' service-oriented business culture, supportive of small team meetings and activities, standup meetings, and informal brainstorming sessions.
The gut renovation of the third, fourth and fifth floors at One Washington Mall left only the bare bones of the fourth floor intact. The design team settled on a central stair as a unifying feature, and placed communal spaces near it on every floor to emphasise the desired warm, welcoming atmosphere; the employee pantry on the third, for example, and the main reception and waiting area with lounge chairs on the fifth.
Dyer Brown then introduced a palette of materials, finishes and furnishings that would simultaneously express the WinnResidential culture and make the most of available natural daylight.
The hybrid plan does include some private offices, which suits departmental team structure. But the real premium is daylight. We located as many shared spaces near available windows as possible, then strategically introduced reflective materials and light colour finishes to make the space brighter. And lighting from the window wall on the fifth floor cascades all the way down the central stair to brighten the third floor.
Karen Bala, Director of Design, Dyer BrownBala described how the LED lighting is placed and directed to bounce from above, turning the ceiling in office areas into a luminaire. Visual texture in the finishes and materials evoke the WinnResidential mission culture in ways that are both subtle and direct. Patterns in the carpeting suggest topographical map markings. The triangular “fractal” pattern in the central ceiling is intended to generate energy and promote collaboration, while wood ceilings in communal spaces provide warmth.
Anchoring it all is the reception desk, a chiselled piece of flint-cut stone with a wood rail accent, presenting a sculptural statement piece that is solid and comforting. Throughout the space, a core of chic, modern hospitality shines through for both visitors and employees.