Project Description
xAd was rapidly outgrowing their 18,000 square foot office in the Flatiron district after a brief 6 months of living in the space. The pending move was bittersweet as xAd had grown attached to their bright, branded, and collaborative workspace that still smelled of fresh paint. The design challenge was to recreate the culture and energy of the current workspace and turn it up a few decibels. The start-up aesthetic needed to be elevated to suit the company’s maturing stature as well as the gravitas of One World Trade Center, of which they were assuming the 60th floor.
xAd’s mantra: “Be transparent, Be Disruptive, Be Relentless” was the driving force for the design team. Transparency is translated via an open plan with full circulation at the floor to ceiling window line as well as 9’-0” glass meeting spaces. “Be Disruptive” is displayed within angular custom millwork, in the meeting spaces as well as the café. In the conference rooms millwork bends and folds to transform from bench seating into credenzas. Embedded in glazing, the millwork meets in a center point at glass portals that allow peeks into adjacent meeting rooms, and to the statue of liberty. To encourage the employees at xAd to “Be Relentless” the sprawling café provides a myriad of breakout spaces to connect with colleges (or take a nap, encouraged at xAd).
It was imperative to the design team to take advantage of the views in this space as well. Seating looks out over the east river and onto the Brooklyn Bridge. The angularity of the ceiling planes, AV wall, and Where’s Warhol wall covering (a relic from their last office space) send a clear message – we are not like the others, we are relentless.