The New York practice of global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will unveiled its new Manhattan home at Nomad Tower, located at 1250 Broadway in Midtown. The studio functions as a storefront, providing passers by with a peek into its design culture while connecting staff to the street life below.
The vision for the New York studio comes to life as an agile and intuitive space that can pivot to accommodate behavioral, cultural, and technological change in the workplace. The studio's flexibility allows for the new space to serve as an agile learning lab, experimenting with new work models and technologies in real-time.
From the outset, the design team for 1250 Broadway embraced a mindset of experimentation and exploration. They engaged their colleagues in workshops and led interdisciplinary forums to understand the dynamics, and possibilities, of agility what it really means for the workplace of the future.
Led by interior design director Brent Capron, the team harnessed insights from staff to create a workplace that is flexible, agile, and receptive to new workplace norms, meaning little had to be changed in the wake of COVID-19.
Long before health authorities mandated physical distancing last year, the team had intended to preserve human connection and provide places for more isolated, focused work. Robust IT/AV infrastructure and resources support agile in-studio working, and continued productivity when working remotely.
The design process is celebrated and displayed throughout the space, from the 70-foot pin-up boards to model-making and renderings displayed on digital screens. The studio's layout encourages cohesion and collaboration between teams through a blending of spaces.
The new space officially opened in the fall of 2020 with both the build-out and move accomplished amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
