Adaptive Reuse

The design of the RoofStock Office Headquarters eliminated the traditional private office and created an open-plan office based on a series of work neighborhoods. Like a good urban neighborhood, each had access to shared amenities, including the café, team workrooms, and casual lounge parks.

The RoofStock Office Headquarters is an adaptive re-use of the historic I. Magnin Department Store. The design focused on multiple strategies to create an office environment which enhanced the employee experience, and created a for the company to attract and retain its workforce. RoofStockleadership was seeking an “enhanced experience” in their work place environment to help attract talent they needed to build this fast passed and fast-growing tech business. Their office environment becomes a recruiting tool because their millennial workers have choices of who and where to work. We wanted this to be a creative live/work/play environment.

The overarching design strategy focused on creating greater flexibility and the need for variety and choices in the workplace. There is a greater sensitivity to accommodating different types of work styles. Collaboration is important, which means getting rid of private offices and moving to a much more flexible and fluid work environment. The design strategy also focused on finding a work environment that brought the firm together as a whole. The company leadership was looking to create a more collaborative and engaging space.

Unique environments were designed into the overall workplace plan. These included:

The Agora: This central space uses a tiered seating amphitheater form to create a flexible space to work, meet other workers, hold a company-wide presentation, view movies, and presentation, etc. The back bar can be used as a just-in-time hot desk for visitors and employees alike.

The Café/Bar: The Café/Bar is designed to emulate an authentic café, with private booths, a counter bar, and café bistro seating. Café-culture has become the meme for the new economy and a central element of the workplace for millennials. The café provides the place to escape, and to incubate new i

The Board Room: The Board Room is designed with an open window to the overall workplace. This is designed to metaphorically open the management process, and provide a window to the work process to investors, visitors and partners.

The Speakeasy: The Speakeasy is designed to be a private and secret space, hidden behind a “blind” cabinet door. The space evokes the style and feel of a 1920’s private club. It is designed to create a unique environment for employees to meet, think and enjoy the work environment.