Happy Transformation Tuesday! This week's Before/After post features the Atlanta offices of Paul Hastings LLP, a multi-disciplinary law firm with a global presence.Rottet Studio's design solution was driven by an exceptional ground floor opportunity for a conference center with 15-foot ceilings, dedicated interior lobby and external entries, and significant street exposure. The overall design is a juxtaposition of crenelated etched bronze glass, cerused Oak and Macassar Ebony with white and light grey stone floors and ceilings, creating a fresh contrast of dark and light elements that reflect local preferences for traditional material in a contemporary manner.Our goal was to create an environment that gave the illusion of a hotel meeting room experience rather than an attorney conference center. In order to achieve this goal, the design team incorporated overly-dramatic features such as a ¾-inch thick bronze-colored glass wall that acts as a ribbon winding its way through the space and serves as a privacy wall separating the reception area from the conference room. Rhythmic wooden grillage provides a backdrop for pattern and architectural art, while glass chandeliers and box-shaped pendants introduce elements of sparkle and hospitality design to the space to make it more inviting.
Welcome to the first post in our new Transformation Tuesday series! The Rottet Studio Houston team recently completed the 301 Congress building lobby renovation in Austin, Texas. This remarkable transformation is part of a growing theme across the country to bring older buildings up to Class B+/A-standards in order to compete with newer office construction. Take a look at the before and after shots below:
Seyfarth Shaw was featured in the November/December issue of Texas Architect. Editor Catherine Gavin discusses what makes this downtown Houston space unique."With sweeping views of the downtown skyline, an inviting coffee lounge, and acoustically private yet visually transparent offices for all the attorneys, the Seyfarth Shaw Houston location is an elegant alternative to the ubiquitous open plan. Rottet Studio makes designing an efficiently-laid-out space in the trapezoidal towers of the iconic Pennzoil Place look easy."Pick up a copy today or read the online edition (only available with subscription) here.
Seyfarth Shaw was mentioned in an article about open plan offices in the latest issue of Architectural Record!"Among those who need to be sounded out are lawyers and financial executives—legendary for wanting to hold onto their enclosed spaces. However, some are thinking differently about the actual sizes and configurations of the layout: Lauren Rottet, of Rottet Studio, says that one of her clients, the Houston law firm of Seyfarth Shaw, wanted a light-filled work environment, without the hierarchy of the perimeter rooms. So Rottet pulled the offices away from the glass wall, creating 'verandas' with views of the city, and added a variety of team conference areas. By tinkering with the layout, 'We were able to allow a 25 percent increase in [the number of] employees for the original floor plan while keeping the offices the same size,' she says."Read the full article here.
Paul Hastings' Atlanta offices were featured in ABA Journal!"Rottet Studio has been working with Paul Hastings since 2002 crafting the modern interiors that have become a hallmark of the 20-office international firm, and its portfolio includes high-end clients like the Beverly Hills Hotel and Hong Kong's Eton hotels."Read the full article here.
The Rottet Studio-designed United Talent Agency was granted a multi-page spread in the publication, Custom Made Office. We just recieved a copy of it at the studio!
Rottet Studio's Los Angeles offices were featured in Charles Schwab's "Zero Chance" commercial! Catch a glimpse of it in the video above.For a closer look at the Los Angeles offices, visit our website here.
Rottet Studio was awarded twofold for the 2013 CoD+A Awards! Our James Royal Palm was the Merit Award Winner for the hospitality category and United Talent Agency took the Merit Award for commercial!Both entries will be featured on the CoD+A Awards website until the end of the year. To see the James Royal Palm's feature on the CoD+A website, click here, while the United Talent Agency's page may be accessed here. Likewise, both entries will be part of a national PR campaign launched by LSB in the coming weeks. We're proud to have been selected for the first annual CoD+A Awards and look forward to participating in subsequent competitions!
Johnson Downie takes the Houston AIA Honor Award for corporate office!Johnson Downie, a recruiting company for law firms in the Houston area, commissioned Rottet Studio to design a clean, comforting space where they could entertain clients in a social environment. Considering these guidelines and the significant changes in today’s work environment, the Rottet team was forced to rethink the traditional office design standards and approach the design of this project from a more hospitable angle.In an effort to allow guests to become acclimated within the space and not be immediately greeted with a reception desk, Rottet Studio opted to design the project completely void of a reception desk. Instead, visitors enter into the living room and kitchen area where they are greeted and offered refreshments, similar to being greeted as a guest in some one’s home. Knowing that food and drink are key to social interaction in hospitality spaces, the same can be true in a welcoming space in an office. A media lounge was also incorporated into the design to promote social interaction and provide an additional social gathering area.Johnson Downie occupies the 42nd floor of BG Group Place in downtown Houston which offers expansive views of the city. Allowing access to these views was a crucial element in the design process and it was achieved by incorporating glass walls wherever possible. Substituting traditional, solid walls with glass walls not only offers dramatic views, they allow for plenty of natural light throughout the space and better communication amongst employees which promotes a healthier and more efficient work environment.
The Houston Chronicle highlights Rottet Studio's design of the space at BG Group Place for the offices of Johnson / Downie."Hovering near the top of BG Group Place, at 811 Main, in the glass alcove that is the building's signature architectural feature, the Rottet Studio-designed space is a luxe nest for the recruitment of top-flight legal eagles. A place of extreme clarity and light, it welcomes visitors first to a gleaming lounge. A white marble bar replaces the typical corporate reception desk, white leather furniture invites relaxation, rich wood floors bring a touch of warmth, a few chrome accents add sparkle and floor-to-ceiling windows suggest endless possibility."Read the full article here.