A complete, low budget, renovation of an existing penthouse office space in New York City. The existing ”L” shaped space had expansive views in all directions and tall ceilings with deep concrete beams. We left the ceilings exposed to maintain the ceiling height and relocated the existing exposed fluorescent lights strategically to accentuate the height of the space between beams; using the beams to shield the bulbs from the main entry and circulation routes.

The company specializes in translating legal documents. They required distinct areas for the translation department, the proofreaders/managers and the marketing group. In order to maintain the views we kept an open plan configuration using the ”L” shaped plan to create different zones for the different departments. We placed the shared copier and kitchen areas at the bend in the plan and used the furniture to create some visual privacy for the manager/proofreader area.

At the elevator lobby we demolished the existing walls and created a secure barrier using a custom built-in reception desk, a sliding door and full height glass panels. The layout and geometry of this area was generated by the spatial limitations of the existing elevator location and the desire to create the maximum possible, a sense of lightness and transparency through the space while providing a secure enclosure. The reception desk and other built in cabinets are built from Baltic birch plywood with a dark brown laminate on the flat, outer surfaces to create a contrast with the natural birch color.