Havas Main Office in New York by TPG Architecture

Article source: TPG Architecture

International advertising and communications firm Havas worked with TPG Architecture for more than two years to identify an appropriate space in Manhattan into which the industry leader could move its creative and media staff. The client ultimately chose seven floors, totalling 260,000SF, at 200 Hudson Street. The new office brings together nearly 1,000 staff from Havas Worldwide and agency groups Havas (formerly Euro RSCG), Havas Media (formerly MPG), Tonic, Adrenaline and Socialistic agencies that had been in disparate locations throughout New York City.

Image Courtesy © Eric Laignel

• Architects: TPG Architecture
• Project: Havas Main Office
• Location: New York, USA
• Photography: Eric Laignel

Image Courtesy © Eric Laignel

TPG’s design seamlessly integrates the agencies’ branding, functional needs and wish-lists with a progressive workplace that reflects the firm’s forward-thinking philosophy. In addition to office areas and meeting rooms, the new space features an in-house, world-class production facility; an innovation laboratory; a lush private screening room and a light-filled café. TPG will also redesign the lobby at 200 Hudson Street, which will establish Havas’ brand identity at the building’s street entry; it will be visible to cars driving into Manhattan via the Holland Tunnel.

Image Courtesy © Eric Laignel

Havas is both a traditional ad agency and digital and social media business, with scope and services well beyond a traditional advertising agency. At the client’s strong request, TPG’s design reinforces this focus on connection and interaction, building in visual connection across all spaces. TPG gutted and renovated floors 2-8, creating a dynamic, open-plan work environment. Phase 1, completed in the summer of 2013, includes floors 4 through 8. Phase 2, which includes the lobby design as well as the design of a large, fully landscaped roof deck, will be complete by the end of 2014.

Image Courtesy © Eric Laignel

The design embraces the industrial origins of the architecture by exposing the bones of the building while honoring the client’s New York roots. Although Havas is a French corporation, the agency was estabilshed in New York City and TPG took design inspiration from the City’s energy and wealth of dynamic contrasts. This design features 100% open plan bench-style desks topped by bar-shapred pendant light fixtures that cast light up to the ceiling and then bounce soft light downward. The muted color palette of white columns and walls with red accents is complemented by charcoal carpet tile.

Image Courtesy © Eric Laignel

The design team scultped the interior space: a commanding black steel internal stair now connects floors 4-8, while voids cut into floor/ceiling on levels 6 and 7 allow light to penetrate the multi-purpose meeting rooms and into work areas. A five-story wall made of thousands of pieces of spalted maple wood, created by wood artist and sculptor John Houshmand, defines the stair. Blackened steel boxes are set into this expansive signature wall, displaying ads, video monitors, client products and awards.

The sixth floor is home to the main multipurpose meeting room. This double height space accommodates major client presentations and large staff gatherings. The stairs reinforce the sense of connection that Havas had wanted to promote; large open space between floors allows long views and light to saturate the west side of the building, and at the same time create opportunities for staff and clients to interact.

Image Courtesy © Eric Laignel

The MadSci Lab, where Havas tests new media and technology, takes pride of place in a new double-height space on floors 6 and 7. By locating the Mad Sci Lab adjacent to the main meeting rooms, it is easy for Havas staff to share their explorations and innovations with current and new clients. Creative and research designers can work within the space and be observed by both colleagues and clients as they experiment with everything from MakerBot 3D printers to advanced projection technology. TPG ensured that the new office’s infrastructure supports the advanced A/V needs of this Lab.

Select meeting rooms on the 6th floor are also lined with Houshmand’s spalted maple. Spalting, a type of fungus that grows on trees and eventually kills them, creates discolorations and beautiful patterns on the wood and renders it much lighter – an important consideration when using in an interior application. The “live edge” maple pieces are remnants or end cuts from boards used for other purposes. Houshmand salvages these pieces, which otherwise would be destined for a landfill, re-assembles them in panels in his studio, and then he labeled them and disassembled them. Each panel was then installed onsite by his team.

Image Courtesy © Eric Laignel

Sixth Sense, Havas’ in-house video production firm, is also located on the sixth floor. This specialized area includes a video editing facility, audio recording booth, photo studio, dedicated pantry and reception, and work stations for 30 staff. Sixth Sense is differentiated from other work areas by its all black design – ceiling, walls and furniture – which creates a cocoon-like environment for the team. A shared resource for all agencies within Havas Worldwide, TPG located the group in the middle of the building stack to be easily accessible from all floors. Back near the central stair, a luxurious private screening room accommodates approximately 16 people, with real-time editing capability.

A company-wide café and lounge are located on the 8th floor. A dramatic communal table, also designed and built by John Houshmand, anchors the pantry area and allows staff to scribble ideas and inspiration on its central slate slab set into 16’-long wood panels. Comfortable lounge seating and huddle space is available for informal meetings and work sessions or a meal away from your desk. In several months an expansive terrace will provide precious outdoor space to Havas staff.

Image Courtesy © Eric Laignel

TPG located the IT group on the 8th floor adjacent to the café with the thought that it would feel like an in-house IT “store,” integrating the IT/Tech Support team with the rest of the staff and provide more opportunities for them to interract. The 8th floor also contains the main board room, executive area and a small wellness room.

Each floor includes a small pantry and coffee bar, as well as its own “Living Room.” Understanding that the transition from semi-private workspaces to an open plan necessitates having a variety of different meeting and other open spaces. TPG crafted these intimate, cozy rooms with a darker color palette and upholstered furniture that invites lounging, meeting and talking.

TPG’s design team collaborated with French interior designer Etienne Benjamin to select all furniture and softgoods for the office. A combination of vintage furniture by the likes of Knoll, Herman Miller and Eames and Noguchi are blended with contemporary designers Leif Joergensen, Hella Jongerius and Patricia Urquiola and others.

Tags: New York, USA

Categories: Interiors, office Complex, Office space, Offices

This entry was posted on Friday, April 21st, 2017 at 7:45 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.