These are funny COVID times. In a twist on “all dressed up and nowhere to go,” I just photographed a recently completed office building designed for an enhanced employee experience, and the majority of the employees are working still remotely from home. Soon, perhaps, the building will be bustling, and the spaces for relaxing, refreshing, collaborating and innovating will be fully enjoyed.
The new Divvy office building, built by Okland Construction with architecture from Babcock Design Group, is located at the Point of the Mountain (does it date me to refer to the old nickname for the State prison for this hot center of building and commerce?). Divvy is a charge card system integrated with software for expense management and business budgeting.
The main entrance lobby introduces the design, which someone who worked on the project described as a mix of an Art Deco hotel and the raw elements of modern. The lobby presents the black-and-white color scheme, polished stone, and stylized accents of Deco with the concrete floors and open ceiling showing ducting and conduits of modern.
Stepping inside, I show the main social area both eye-level from the main floor and looking down from the encircling mezzanine, a classic Art Deco design.
Here are some of the conversation areas. The main space has a help desk, a large refreshment center and cafeteria, and several open conference spaces that look like they host noon luncheon meetings.
Moving up to the third floor are breakout/collaboration spaces. The partition, made of shelves with green plants, adds a boost from nature and fresh oxygen.
Of course, there are large work areas where the work gets done. Again, the concrete floors and industrial reveal of the ducting and conduits reflect modern design.
Looking at the exterior, masked, socially distanced employees inside keep the home fires burning and serve clients during the late shift.
I made the photos after hours and during the low evening light. The challenges were to capture the black-and-white space without the warmth of employees dashing about in colorful clothes and with the items they add to make it personal. Soon, we all hope, the vitality will return.
Read more Photo Fridays from Scot Zimmerman here.