Award of Merit - Interiors

U.S. Concepts Office

The "clean, sleek look" of U.S. Concepts' new 35,000-sq.-ft. headquarters caught the attention of the award judges.

"We all saw something in it that pulled us in," one judge said.

The project involved construction of new office space in the Chelsea Market building at 75 Ninth Ave. in Manhattan. Founded in 1982, U.S. Concepts is an event and promotion agency and a subsidiary of CoActive Marketing Group Inc. The company expanded its office space to accommodate anticipated growth.

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The aim of the project was to break the company out of its previous warren of tiny private offices by creating a visually dynamic, open landscape more consistent with the culture of a marketing and event-planning company. The submitting firm, TEK Architects of New York, withheld the project cost.

Accenting the rhythm of the office floor are a series of self-contained colored boxes housing "phone rooms" - small conference rooms and private conversation spaces that offer visual and acoustical isolation in contrast to the communal sectors.

The unique elevation of the southern perimeter includes full-height glass walls and 10-ft.-high sliding doors laid out on a random pattern. This element acoustically separates private offices from public circulation areas, while allowing natural light into the open spaces.

Sliding glass walls also separate the primary conference room from an open reception and lounge area. When users retract the walls, the conference room can expand to accommodate more than 100 people for the company's occasional full staff meetings.

Other features include a concept-testing bar for the agency's spirits marketing business, an in-house gym, and private phone booths for cube dwellers seeking privacy for personal or business calls.