OFFICES OF FERRARO CHOI AND ASSOCIATES
Honolulu, Hawaii
Interior Architecture
Size: 3,000 s.f.
BACKGROUND:
In 1998 because of insufficient space and an expiring lease, Ferraro Choi was in search of new office space. What was once an equipment storeroom for one of its longtime clients, Ferraro Choi secured a portion of the 26th floor of the Pacific Guardian Center (previously known as the Grosevenor Center) in downtown Honolulu.
SITE CONSTRAINTS/AMENITIES:
The original space had an abundance of natural light with terrific views of the city, ocean, and mountains through continuous floor-to-ceiling perimeter windows. However, the floor area configuration created interesting space-planning problems. The forty-five degree “dog-leg” shaped space extended 60 feet in either direction from a central elbow and was partially inhibited because of freestanding 24-inch square structural concrete columns that were inset only a few inches from the perimeter glass curtain wall. The space also had a relatively tight 25-foot depth when measured from the perimeter windows to the building’s inner core.
APPROACH:
The design concept focused on four major objectives:
- Views and natural daylighting were to be shared by staff and visitors alike;
- The design should allow and foster open communication while providing good acoustics for speech privacy;
- The design statement should represent a modestly priced, timeless office design through the creative use of standard building materials;
- Artificial lighting should be designed to alleviate computer glare and eye strain and enhance the daylit look and feel of the space. Display lighting should be used to dramatize and color punch the firm’s product displays and presentations.
SOLUTION:
Visitors to Ferraro Choi are initially greeted in the main entry area with a wall of framed images of the firm's projects highlighted with a series of angled ceiling light coffers. Cork flooring, a sustainable yet durable "green" building product is used effectively in this high-traffic area to quell the sound of footsteps. The natural color of the cork flooring also serves as a neutral backdrop to the colored images and artwork on the walls. The entry area, softly screened and defined by a semi-tranparent wall of lined translucent plexiglass panels, flows cleanly into the rest of the office.
Directly adjacent to the entry area, the central conference room effectively utilizes what would normally be an awkward elbow-shaped space. Textured wall covering on gypsum board provide efficient yet economical self-healing walls for frequent pin-up drawing presentations that are smartly lit with pendant track lighting.
Two almost identical groups of employee workstations, neatly wired for data and communication, flank the central conference/work area. Low open stand-up-height counters along the building's interior perimeter columns and curtain walls effectively provide shared storage and drawing layout space while preserving the openess for views and infusion of natural daylighting. Suspended glareless ambient lighting is used throught the space to softly supplement natural daylighting. Utilitarian spaces, such as the materials library and the plotter/fileserver/store room are neatly tucked closely to the building's viewless central core.
CONCLUSION:
Design goals were met aesthetically, yet cost effectively. Interior architecture has been used effectively to enhance communication and workflow efficiency, which has raised the quality of work life and moral for its employees. Visitors that have experienced the space are impressed by its cleanness, simplicity, and timeless style and find that the space is a delight, whether it is a workday or a chance to enjoy the evening sunset.
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