Office environments matter. Influencing commitment, achievement, intellectual stimulation and creativity, office design affects employee dynamism and business profitability. With the global rebound of post pandemic markets, office environments continue to accommodate the normalization of remote and asynchronous work. Of full-time employees in America, 12.7% currently work from home and 28.2% embrace a hybrid model. By 2025, 32.6M Americans will work remotely[1].

Contemporary Spaces and Lifestyles

Design – now more than ever – is a catalyst in engaging and aligning employees. Pairing internal design with corporate brands is an exercise in aesthetics, productivity, culture and client impact.  Within a designer’s toolbox, texture, color, materials and product styles act as harbingers of corporate culture. Understanding visual impact’s role on employee and brand perception, EMC Insurance Companies sought a new Northeast division office at Chapel View, a mixed-use luxury residential, office and retail complex. Founded in 1911, EMC built its reputation on long-term stability with a focus on improving lives across the insurance experience spanning agents, policyholders, and employees. Outside of its functional purpose, EMC sought an environment embracing a progressive, high-performance culture. To do this, their facilities planner Kaley Rima integrated natural vistas, collaborative areas, warm colors, open seating and branding to support engagement. Within the floorplan, offices line the perimeter, with hotel seating overlooking views of Cranston via three floor-to-ceiling radius windows. Punctuating strategic locations– such as collaborative spaces – are chartreuse and burnt sienna walls to stimulate creative expression and impart a sense of chic that comes from acidic hues. A synthesis of retro and contemporary style, kitchen furnishings consist of a mix of chairs and booth seating reminiscent of 1950’s diners. It opens to the hotel seating area, with luxury vinyl tile used throughout for lower environmental impact, performance ability and ease in cleaning. Exposed structure ceilings increase openness, marked by acoustic ceiling clouds with integral lighting for noise mitigation. Large color pops from furniture upholstery punctuate the office space and the entrance lobby acts as a secondary conference area, “EMC is embracing a national initiative to create soft and welcoming office environments where employees feel energized by collaboration. At the Chapel View location, we want them to enjoy not only a stimulating space, but the advantages of the historic buildings and landscapes that it offers. Since relocating here, our employee onsite attendance has increased noticeably,” explains Jerry Crawford, project consultant for EMC.  

Today’s Relevance

As seen in EMC, the design aesthetic and rationale fulfill the firm’s goal of reinforcing motivation, purposefulness and creativity for clients and employees alike. It is a reminder that an optimal space continuously aligns and engages individuals with a company’s values. States Jen Luoni, Dacon’s Director of Architecture, “We are delighted to create an environment that reflects EMC’s attributes of success and look forward to their long-term progression.”

[1]Forbes.  Remote Work Statistics and Trends in 2023.  https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/remote-work-statistics/.

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