The abrupt shift to working from home led many companies and employees to wonder whether the move could or should be permanent. For Medical Knowledge Group (MKG), a virtual-first approach made the most sense. With an already strong remote culture, they saw this as an opportunity to create a workplace as a brand center for collaboration and client servicing. The physical space enhances the virtual experience while supporting in-person socialization and maintaining a sense of organizational community.
Data-based planning.
When we asked the MKG team what was most important to them, location over size was their top answer. With One World Trade Center as their prime location, we prioritized a virtual first workplace and consolidated two locations with 200+ employees into a single office with just 18 seats. This decision allowed the company to maintain a headquarters in a highly desirable location on a premiere floor with premiere views and keep overhead costs down.
A captivating welcome experience.
From the start, it was clear that the design should break away from the typical corporate office environment. The underlying concept aimed to transport individuals to a unique experience as soon as they disembarked the elevator on the 84th floor. Instead of a traditional reception area, you enter an open lounge offering captivating views that create a sensation of being suspended above the city, accompanied by an adjoining hospitality bar.
Designing the physical to complement the virtual.
The selection of materials prioritized a light, airy, and textural palette, further accentuating the breathtaking views. The combination of gentle wood tones, soft whites, and muted grays was punctuated by the vibrant MKG's red. These softer elements seamlessly extended into the collaborative spaces and workstations, offering employees the flexibility to work from comfortable couches, collaborative tables, or workstations reminiscent of library settings, as opposed to the typical corporate cubicle setup. The meeting rooms were meticulously designed to enhance collaboration, while smaller phone rooms afforded privacy to employees and visiting clients. Furthermore, the rooms' configurations could be adjusted to accommodate larger events and meetings, rendering the space incredibly adaptable in every aspect.
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