This interior design within the Innovation District of Boston represents a new 17,000 square foot corporate office for a venture capital firm with a focus on investment in local technology companies. With a desire to pursue and serve the premier entrepreneurs in the region, Polaris Partners sought to relocate to Boston within this newly defined district that is representative of the technology rich spirit inherent to the area through it’s renowned universities and technology leadership.
The objective and challenge of the project is to consolidate Polaris’ workspace within an efficient plan that maximizes the natural light and views out to the expanding waterfront landscape all the while satisfying their need for enclosed offices and conference rooms along the perimeter of the plan. Along with the necessary closed office to open work space relationship, a centralized space to bring everyone together was desired as well as smaller collaborative areas.
The design concept for the space is to provide an environment that is infused with natural light and connects the user to the expansive views as well as to one another from all points of the space. The design seeks to engage the users by providing visual connectivity through glazed offices and conference rooms and foster a collaborative spirit by integrating dispersed lounge areas as well as a centralized congregation zone for informal meeting and office wide celebration. The execution of the design concept was achieved through a very focused and purposeful palette of materials and subtle detailing.
Glazed surfaces of varying degrees of opacity, translucent curtains, wood flooring, planting beds and warm leather furniture work in concert to create an environment that is not only conducive to the practice of their business, but does so in an equally soothing yet invigorating fashion. As the client requested most enclosed offices to be on the perimeter, the inboard walls of the offices were fashioned with floor to ceiling glass to establish a continuous visual connection between those collaborating between the open work area and the office and as to not obstruct views outward or limit the natural light.
Laminate glass was used on some of the glass surfaces and serves several purposes. The first was to establish some privacy where needed. The second is to reduce the solar gain into the space due to a predominant South facing orientation and lastly to serve as markerboards for both the enclosed and open office areas. The need for a large congregation space was centralized at the reception area to enhance the scale of the entry into the space from the elevator core and is edged by built in planting and seating areas accented by wood flooring that is not only used as a flooring material but also as a wall cladding which has become an iconic aspect of the design.
The wood clad seating areas were then used to inspire collaboration areas dispersed throughout the space that is fitted with warm lounge furniture and unique lighting.
