An Exciting New Space Reflects
A Creative Company And Enhances The Bottom Line
"Ferraro Choi understands and reveres Hawaii and its cultures.
They were able to express the essence of this place in new exciting
ways. They created a working environment that perfectly mirrors our
daily mission."
David
Koch
Executive Vice President,
Creative Director
Starr Seigle Communications
BACKGROUND:
In 1994, Starr Seigle Communications, Hawaii's largest advertising
agency, knew it was time to reorganize their creative teams to somehow
improve work methodologies. By 1995, after having observed the structure
and work processes of a number of prominent successful companies,
Starr Seigle Communications approached Hawaii architects Ferraro
Choi for help in developing a design that: 1) enhanced direct and
informal communications both within the company and with clients;
2) fostered creativity and; 3) showcased their Island roots. While
the design goal was cohesiveness, Starr Seigle Communications also
wanted to give individual identities to the various divisions within
their firm.
After investigating alternative office buildings, Starr Seigle Communications
opted to remain in their existing location, thus mandating a construction
approach and schedule that would allow for continuing operations.
This would ultimately require Contractor overtime, phasing and noise/dirt
isolation over a several-month construction phase.
Adding further challenge to the process, their new business approach
stressed a more interactive open-office environment, which dictated
the demolition of most existing private offices. It was clear that
given the budget of the building construction allowance, Ferraro
Choi was tasked with providing tenant improvements with "a lotta
bang, without a lotta bucks."
APPROACH:
For ease of facility management, it was initially felt that all
employees (except those requiring privacy or personnel security)
should have identical workstations. Various "ideal" workstation
configurations were analyzed and eventually, an accessorized workstation
mock-up was set up in the reception area for trial and error. After
several weeks of testing, it became clear that this "idealized"
approach was off track for accomplishing individual task functions.
Rather than waiting to select a General Contractor from the normal
bidding process after the completion of construction documents,
a General Contractor was selected and included from the early inception
stages of the project. Both Owner and Architect felt that this would
create a stronger team relationship, which would ultimately provide
benefits to the project in the form of ongoing cost estimates and
coordinated phasing for continued operations during construction.
SOLUTION:
Through workstation testing, it became clear that in order to achieve
better worker productivity, workstations needed to match the tasks
and tools of distinct employee groups. Consequently, ten distinct
but standardized workstations were used for the new design. For
budget considerations, the existing panel system (Herman Miller's
Ethospace) was re-used and supplemented with enhanced accessories.
Although seven-eighths of the existing floor was affected (a small
portion was left as a lease option), the most radical change came
in the configuration of the Ad Team/Design Group. Each of these
teams centers huddles around an open Conference
Hub. In the case of the Ad Teams, the focus becomes a ping-pong
table and a pool table that again interchangeably serves as an interactive
conference hub and activity center. Moveable white boards, printers
and easels flexibly supplement these informal work/plan areas. Between
the teams, two intimate conference rooms, a pantry/copy/jam room
and the President's (open) office provide sculptured walls in blazes
of color that counter the existing grey furniture panels. Here and
in the Reception, thick walls are sheathed in translucent fiberglass
or aluminum "totan" (corrugated) roofing, both common building materials
in Hawaii, making a strong, though inexpensive, statement of Starr
Seigle Communications' Island roots.
In the public lobbies, interior designers
chose pale aqua pavers with gold grout, which provide both durability
and an allusion to Hawaii's surf and sand. A coconut fiber area
carpet defines lanai-type seating in washes of blue metallic vinyl.
Woven lauhala matting covers the reception desk, accented by yellow
automotive lacquer and apple-green stained wood. A custom surfboard
in the same brilliant colors floats off the wall in a wash of blue
neon. Outside the Main Conference Room,
a 1950s tropical bar doubles as a phone stand, reflected in the
ever-changing rainbow hues of the laminated glass perimeter wall.
Carpet throughout the offices reflects an Island night sky of gold
stars and moons while providing reference to the company name.
CONCLUSION:
The success of this tenant improvement project was due in part to
the strong team relationship established between Ferraro Choi, Starr
Seigle Communications and the General Contractor, J. Kadowaki, Inc.
(JKI), who was brought in at the project's inception. Through numerous
previous joint projects, Ferraro Choi and JKI understood each other's
expectations, methods, and detailing, allowing Ferraro Choi to streamline
both the construction document and administration phases.
Starr Seigle Communications' partners and employees alike credit
Ferraro Choi's creativity and ability for their enhanced work environment.
Their design has stimulated teamwork, thereby developing better
interoffice rapport and communication. With the walls down and a
more interactive open plan, everyone is now part of the process.
Turnover has also decreased. Just as importantly, clients now feel
they work with a team rather than an individual. Already an advertising
powerhouse in Hawaii, Starr Seigle Communications is now viewed,
says Partner John Sutton, as "more progressive", knowing "what's
going on in the marketing world". There has been a "180º difference
in client perception."
