While the heart of a city is usually a bustling center filled with its own flavor of architecture, personalities, and shops, it's the municipal centers that keep that heart beating; so when the Visit Baltimore center needed an update, employees jumped at the opportunity to reinvigorate the office and their mission as a whole. And with the arrival of their new CEO, the redesign gave Visit Baltimore the opportunity to shift the office culture.
To start, the organization's leadership took a look at the culture of Visit Baltimore.
Immediately, several comments came to the forefront which directed the redesign: there was a need for a modern open-office environment that would allow for more collaboration and to stimulate out-of-the-box thinking, and a design that would be representative of the unique culture that is found in Baltimore. In thinking about not only the current needs of the organization, but the future needs as well, Visit Baltimore embraced collaborative spaces where users can have meetings, work independently, or relax with their lunch rather than sitting at their desk.
More than just tools to get the job done, furniture choices were made deliberately to allow for more spontaneous interactions, allowing the team to get to know one another and the work their colleagues are invested in. Lounge spaces were re-imagined as hubs for both work and play, which has caused people to engage more often.
By placing soft furniture around the perimeter of the office near windows and creating an outdoor lounge spot, meetings with colleagues and visitors take place overlooking the Baltimore skyline, making the city itself the office backdrop. Within the interior of the office space, powered Rise units line Baltimore-centric murals give employees a spot for touch-down work or quick meetings as needed without having to move when their computer battery gets low. As for employee workspaces, height-adjustable desks provide motivation to get up and move as necessary.
What's more: despite embracing a company culture that allows for more flexibility in office hours and where work is done—whether in the center, a local coffee shop, or at home—the organization has seen a higher number of employees physically present in the space now more than ever.
Project Details
Headquarters:
Baltimore, MD
16,000 sq. ft.
70 Employees
Partnerships:
Douron, Inc.
The Verve Partnership
Product Solutions
Seating:
Evo™, Involve®, Rise™, Seek®
Workspaces:
Approach™, Stride®, Terrace®
Tables:
Altitude®, Aware®
Storage:
Align™, Essentials™, Involve®