There is new thinking from a generation ago about making offices appealing for employees. This recent Salt Lake office completed by Brian Hennessy Construction demonstrates a vibrancy and warmth unheard of not that long ago. Before, the sterile office designs seemed to resonate “You are lucky to have a job, so get to work.”
Far from dimly lit spaces with mismatched furniture and sticky floors (you can infer what my early lunchrooms were like), the break room/cafeteria is an appealing place for recharging and relaxing. The lobby’s reception desk is especially striking, and it carefully screens the paperwork of the receptionist. These unique yet practical reception desk designs are a signature of Brian Hennessy. On closer look at the construction, it is evident that the materials will last and maintain the level of design over time.
For the photos, I captured the large spaces and connections, made medium shots of some of the smaller areas that demonstrate how the definition was accomplished, and caught some smaller details that reflect the care in the construction—the quality of the selected materials and how carefully they were joined. I did little supplementary lighting—just enough to guide the eye through the photograph.
— Scot Zimmerman
