Oriana Merlo is an NCIDQ-qualified interior designer and holds LEED AP ID+C, WELL, and Fitwel Ambassador certifications. She has over 40 years of experience as a designer, technologist and strategist. She joined ArchTam in 2020, is based in our Boston office, and serves as the practice lead for the PPA group in the New England region.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

My inspiration to join the industry stems from my love for diversity in work. In my current role as a strategist in the People + Places Advisory practice, I get to speak with clients about how they can optimize a variety of spaces, be it offices, airports, schools or hospitals. A lot of the work I do involves listening to people and talking to them about the best way to experience and utilize space — and that’s really interesting. I get to call on a lot of my background and experience, for example in IT, interior design, management and organizational behavior, and using all of those skills every single day.

The most rewarding part of my job is being able to make big differences to the usability or feel of a workspace environment simply by making small changes and witnessing the positive impacts on not just the productivity of the occupants, but more importantly, on their overall health and wellbeing.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

I work with many Federal Government clients in the U.S. Often these departments have highly constrained budgets, so I focus on how I can deliver the best insights, recommendations and solutions to meet their objectives and levels of affordability.   

One of my favorite series of projects I have worked on is for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which works tirelessly to make groundbreaking scientific discoveries that benefit humankind. My work with NASA involved identifying ways they could make savings on their real estate portfolio to be able to allocate more funding towards their various missions for the benefit of research, aeronautics development and space exploration. For example, we’ve created planning guidelines to provide NASA’s facilities teams with a toolset to help plan consolidations, renovations and remodels.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Sometimes, the greatest impact can come from little changes that can be made. With NASA, we discussed how we could make fiscal savings whilst still creating an inviting and comfortable atmosphere for everyone working in their buildings. We also considered the psychological impact of different types of spaces on productivity. The environment has so much to do with how well the brain works and there are a lot of things you can do to get your brain to think more creatively and have it operate at peak performance. 

We employed some of those tactics to make the work environment even better for NASA employees. For instance, we’re looking at providing a variety of spaces for NASA employees to work in, allowing people to choose where they want to work for any part of the day, based on the task they’re working on.

Providing these services to all clients regardless of size or sector is really fulfilling. Even if the enhancements we implement are small, the impacts on our clients can be huge and it’s great to see that.

Share a piece of career advice.

Never be afraid to try something outside your comfort zone. At worst, you’ll learn a new skill. At best, it can open doors to amazing opportunities that you might have never known existed.

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Direction for this comes from our colleagues in workplace strategy – they are consultants, focused on the changing nature of work. They try to capture how people currently use their space and suggest what we could do to improve the overall experience of work. As graduate designers, we have fewer years in practice but bring strengths to the team such as being “super-fast at software”, and great at “I know a bit about that”…. Rarely are two of our days similar or even alike! So this is an approximation of a day in our shoes as a graduate designer.

To start our Monday morning, we meet with our team, discuss our current projects and find out what the week will bring.

Lilly is currently working on a large project in West London (a total rebranding of the company’s space) at Stage E that occupies most of her time, whereas Amy has worked on a number of small projects since starting work with ArchTam, currently three of various scales and in various parts of the UK (although many projects our team undertakes can be across Europe, the Middle East and Asia).

Lilly continues to make adjustments to a detailed list of furniture for the project she is working on, a crucial role, making sure every detail is incredibly accurate, to ensure the correct products are delivered to site; she meets with a supplier and collects samples to complete a finishes board, and continues to run through the changes, checking it matches with the drawing.

Amy makes changes to a presentation, showing the ways the client can improve their current space, to be ready for a client meeting later in the week (a London-based project with a client looking to improve the current space to suit the changing needs of the company). Another part of her day is spent drawing an elevation of a customer-facing innovation centre for a long-standing client; she also marks up and updates those all-important visuals for a project in Dublin.

A typical day can involve both concentrated work on a detailed drawing, as well as dynamic work collaborating with colleagues on a new concept design – it’s usually a bit of both.

A lot of time is spent working on technical drawings, concept plans and elevations. We also spend plenty of time 3D modelling and creating crisp visuals, producing presentation packages to show the client. But we’re not always behind a computer – we sometimes get let out of the office to site meetings, liaise with suppliers, and of course work closely with our colleagues.

Working in the Strategy Plus team, the real variety for us comes when we work on projects that include both strategy and design work. During these projects, there are days spent onsite conducting research, and others in the office analyzing data to produce key recommendation reports, which will in turn feed nicely into the design work and how we produce the best possible solutions for our clients.

The days of a graduate designer are not only filled with work. We spend time developing our skills and knowledge, and taking time to reflect on all that we learn. As Lilly is an associate CSD member she works towards achieving full design accreditation, which requires time and persistence on a weekly basis. Keeping track of all her work and the skills and knowledge she has gained is very important for development.

Being part of a large organization with hundreds of graduates recruited every year provides a great opportunity to build valuable relationships, not only with clients, suppliers and senior management but with other young professionals in the industry. Part of the graduate scheme means we have days out to learn and connect with our colleagues across the country.

As graduates, we have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects and tasks, gain knowledge in different areas, choose areas of interest for future development, and build a professional network from the very beginning.

For us, every day is different, but what unites all of them is that every day we learn something new, which makes us less graduates and more professional.

Amy Bourne and Liliya Kovachka are designers at ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in London. 

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This means new rules, a different game. Internet citizens now understand the enormous power of collective influence to get what they want, when they want and how they want it. Millennials – those born between the late 90s and early 2000s – were the first to embrace the change, and seize the ability to share media content in powerful new ways. Both a cause and product of this new online environment, a typical Millennial is more tolerant, educated and well-connected, and they like to do things their own way. They are less inclined to take orders and more into problem solving through collaborative interaction – live and online.

Alongside this in the workplace, many companies are gradually leaving behind their old-fashioned corporate structures, embracing the effects of these changes. Harnessing the power of networks is falling to management at every level, with a growing impetus to foster an ongoing, open, collaborative culture that facilitates freedom of expression and “entrepreneurial” spirit. Increasingly, companies are tearing down the walls (both physical and metaphorical) between employees, opening up space for dialogue, and allowing them to work together in a way that suits them rather than in a prescribed manner or quantity.

Since I joined ArchTam’s Strategy Plus team in Spain nearly a year ago, I have enjoyed experiencing this “participatory culture”. For example, our i-breaks (innovation breaks) – a weekly 30-minute session where random team members share new trends, e.g. in technology, sustainability, business initiatives. Every member is free to contribute when ready, and what they contribute is always valued. This community of ideas provides a strong incentive for creative expression and active participation, positively affecting the output of our work.

Here’s another example; accompanied by our client, Spanish developer GMP, some ArchTam colleagues from around the world (including me) got together in Madrid for a learning event hosted by the Strategy Plus team. Within a 24-hour timeframe, three teams were challenged to produce three proposals for the future of an iconic building – to turn it into a landmark site. One of these focused on aspirational office space, another on a high-spec technological site, and the third on a top-quality mixed-use space.

Every idea was considered, from each and every team member, for the final delivery of each proposal, enhancing artistic expression and team engagement. The result of sharing knowledge and ideas between the diverse team members was incredibly beneficial in delivering creative solutions, giving a holistic view of the information for faster and better decision making. The event also enabled us to build and strengthen powerful and durable relationships with colleagues around the globe.

It’s time to create a brighter future. I strongly believe that shifting corporate culture towards advanced collaboration plays to the strengths of the incoming workforce, and fosters a more interactive, creative workforce that is engaged and motivated, meaning a project delivery of any size can be handled more efficiently and effectively. A great example of this from amongst our clients would be Sony Music’s Headquarters in Madrid, now an integrated, flexible space for artists and staff to enjoy (pictured above). This new approach has increased the volume of Sony Music’s visitors while fostering closer relationships with their clients and label support teams.

Is your company ready to embrace the change?

Alvaro Ager is part of the Communications team at ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in Madrid.

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It seems that many of the architectural trends of the last decade have finally run their course. Ross Wimer, who leads ArchTam’s architecture practice for the Americas, discusses new directions with Mike Consol, editor of the Institutional Real Estate Letter for the Americas, in this podcast.

These icons will be familiar to anyone who has paid attention to design in the last 10 years: the skyscraper shaped like some kind of kitchen utensil jutting out of the Asian or Middle Eastern cityscape (or London for that matter); the branded downtown high rise that puts a company on the economic map of the American or European city; and the ever-present word…sustainability.

Ross discusses with Mike how program, performance, technology, and people are changing the shape of buildings. City and company iconography are still part of the brief, but Ross says that things are moving away from the “willful form making.” Is it as simple as form following function? Not exactly.

As for sustainability, Ross says, “The dialogue is moving beyond the buzzwords, and people are looking at the long-term performance and how you measure it and how that makes for a more positive space to be in.” So quantitative data is critical, but it’s not just about defining a building by its energy meter.

Mike asks about intelligent buildings. Ross notes that “Buildings are always becoming more sophisticated, and the technology is becoming more economically accessible.” But he is more interested in changing building forms in response to their environments than in layering new technologies onto standard forms. Conversely, technology is aiding this process. Ross explains.

Meanwhile for the Tech giants, instead of wowing the city with a skyscraper while everyone works (or does whatever) from home, it’s about the campus that offers employees all the amenities they could want or need, as well as the flexible and creative workplace to keep innovating.

Listen to Ross’s and Mike’s full conversation here.

Ross Wimer (ross.wimer@archtam.com) leads ArchTam’s architecture practice for the Americas.

Jake Herson (jacob.herson@archtam.com) is a senior writer/editor with ArchTam and managing editor of the Connected Cities blog.

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81 Castellana was designed in 1979-1981 by much-respected Spanish architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza, who had already won various prizes including the Spanish National Architecture Award. Our Spanish colleagues described this building with enthusiasm, as an iconic building.

Image: http://www.castellana81.com/

There are many great examples of eye-catching commercial buildings to be found in London, such as the Shard, the “Gherkin”, and the “Walkie Talkie” Tower to name a few. But are they all iconic? An iconic design is a design that is “ground breaking” and that sets new standards in its field. Such design also stands up to the test of time, and can be admired as a good design despite the passing of years, decades and even centuries.

For me, the ultimate iconic office building is the Johnson Wax Headquarters and Administration building of S.C. Johnson & Son, by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Image: http://archidialog.com/tag/frank-lloyd-wright/

Johnson Wax Headquarter and Administration building was built in 1936-1939. It is Frank Lloyd Wright’s interpretation of Art Moderne style, a popular design concept developed in 1930s. Though the Great Workroom is notorious for acoustic problems, water leakage and, most infamously, trapped mice in its glass structure, its beauty and elegance still inspire us designers in 21^st century.

When you love something, you see signs of it everywhere you turn.  Maybe that’s why I see Frank Lloyd Wright’s “lily pads” everywhere. For example, I find the contour of Saarinen Table by Eero Saarinen has a striking resemblance to the lily pad design. I have specified this table for projects in the past, and its timeless elegance has always been appreciated by our clients.

I also saw lily pad-inspired, tree-like objects within the foyer of TMW (Technical Museum Vienna). These ‘trees’ provide seating, shade and acoustic absorption, and also glow at night, filling the room with white and blue light. They are clearly an evolution of Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision – beauty and functionality!

Image: http://www.baunetz.de/architekten/querkraft_architekten_projekte_1333359.html

An iconic design is bound to make an appearance in popular culture. Concept artist Craig Shoji designed an office space for the film Men In Black III (2012) with dark, timber, lily pad-like structures. There is no clear function for these structures in this fictional space, yet one cannot deny that Frank Lloyd Wright’s creation is as visually appealing in this new incarnation, nearly eight decades after the original.

Image: http://filmsketchr.blogspot.ca/2012/05/men-in-black-iii-2012-concept-art-by.html

But should an iconic design always follow a formula of fame and visual appeal? There are many paths to greatness. Let’s come back to our building in Madrid. Is 81 Castellana/Banco de Bilbao Tower an iconic building? Why is this tower considered one of the most important architectural landmarks of Madrid, even though its overall design is perhaps not as dazzling as other Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oiza creations? Is its design still relevant in the 21^st century?

Banco de Bilbao Tower was a new type of skyscraper derived from Oiza’s functionalism and rationalism. The facades have steel over-hung structure in every floor, which creates a walkway for cleaning windows and provides sunshades against the intense Spanish sun. It also has a continuous glass façade, which provides more than 180° panoramic views from every point in the office floors. This visual expansion softens the impact of the low ceiling height in many of the office floors, while maximizing floor space within the tower. With a rationalized central core, providing continuous unobstructed floor plates, the tower makes open workspace planning easy.

It also has several double-height floors, equally distributed throughout the tower. This vertical strategy offers an opportunity for spaces such as hub spaces, where staff can come together for knowledge-sharing and interactions, making the building attractive for sub-tenancy within the tower.

The choice of materials is equally important to the design. Its ochre-coloured exterior (due to the oxidation of its steel façade) and use of brass as an accent in the interior are definitely a recent design trend. Amongst many design elements, the cork ceiling and wall panels against an exposed concrete structure not only add visual warmth, but also provide superior sound absorption. Furthermore cork is an environmentally friendly, locally-sourced and sustainable material, affording the building additional green credentials.

These factors are key for successful office design. After my initial ignorance towards Banco de Bilbao Tower and the accomplishments of Oiza, I find that the design of 81 Castellana/Banco de Bilbao Tower is still hugely relevant, and feel it deserves the title of an ‘iconic’ building.

 Mariko Takeuchi Raouf is a consultant with ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in London. 

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I believe that the reason questions like this are being asked ever more urgently is that we are all starting to really take in the fact that work is following people. We’re all probably familiar with the statistic – 80% of an organisation’s costs are its people – so it does seem counter-productive when a company designs its spaces according simply to cost saving, rather than people: how they work, how they want to work, and what the business wants from them.

I wrote in the previous issue of See Further about the link between happiness and productivity – happiness is a big factor in efficiency, trust, and attracting the best people in the first place (not to mention retaining them). But we know better than to focus on this alone, and occupiers are wary of fads that cater too whimsically to staff’s apparent happiness – more than one client has, when discussing a brief, pleaded “please, no slides or bean bags”.

But leaving aside the debate on playful design (which Gavin Hughes recently blogged about), there IS more to office design than fun. Lydia Dutton sat on the panel at the event and, talking about Argent’s development at Kings Cross, London, said “we want to create a space where people can live, work and play”. Also on the panel was Richard Jackson of UCL, who commented “students and staff need different things from our spaces; the challenge is creating space to suit both sets of needs”. And that’s before getting started on what the parents of the students might want to see!

So what we’re hearing, in different forms, is “how can one space be many things to many people?” The key to this is asking the right questions, in the right order. What do we want to do with our space is where occupiers often start, but a more urgent question is, What do we want to get out of our people? Starting at this point, more questions become obvious – what kind of behaviour do we want to encourage? How can we represent our organisation’s values? And suddenly there are a lot of important tributaries of information, all feeding into what to do with your space.

So – work is following people, and workspaces will be all the more interesting for it. I look forward to seeing where it can go next.

Nicola Gillen (nicola.gillen@archtam.com) is a director of ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in London.

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I began with some high-level findings from the insightful BCO piece Nicola Gillen and June Koh produced (Technology, Media and Telecommunications, BCO), followed by a couple of case studies where we delivered both the strategic vision and design, pointing out the link  between the influence of new ways of learning and what the next generation are expecting in the workplace.

I also highlighted a point very dear to me – good design (can be playful and) needn’t be expensive.  The age-old cliché holds true: ‘it’s all in the detail’ – I often discover great examples of doing a lot with little, for example the ‘DO NOT FEED THE RECEPTIONISTS’ sign pinned up in a leading advertising agency’s reception.  It’s a simple A4 printed piece of paper mounted with blu-tak, super-cheap yet very effective, instantly describing the culture and tone of voice of the organisation, the minute you walk through the door.  In our own office here at ArchTam, we have a completely un-high-tech solution for seeing who is in and who is out-and-about: little printed portraits of everyone in the team, magnetically pinned to a writable surface (see image below). I’m not suggesting either of the above are right for every organisation, but I am certain that low-cost, meaningful design touches can be tailored for every organisation.

My final point to make was the notion that ‘playful’ design needs to have more substance than the clichés. When we were children, we spent the vast majority of our time playing, in particular role-playing – we created and imagined scenarios, environments, characters and even whole worlds. When you think about life as a designer, we continue to do this: we spend our days pretending to be the client, customer or user, in order to propose the best design solutions. The most successful of these, in my opinion, are the collaborative spaces where you get the ‘right’ people coming together to do the “5 Ds” – discuss, discover, design, develop and deliver.

To do all of this, we need to create environments that encourage creation and discovery, without fear of failure or rejection, because it is precisely this fear that leads to conservative solutions and a lack of innovation.

Tim Brown (CEO of IDEO) discusses this notion of ‘play’ and its importance in a talk from a few years back – I’m not sure I particularly agree with everything he’s saying but he raises some interesting points (watch it here).

I’d be interested to hear more thoughts on this – please comment below and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the talk or the subject.

Gavin Hughes (gavin.hughes@archtam.com) is an associate director of design with ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in London.

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Organisations are thinking more and more creatively about the environments that they provide to staff, taking into account how they can engage the workforce, encourage innovation and retain their talent, through provision of more meaningful spaces that create a greater sense of community. They are increasingly prioritising the social aspects of work – the modern office is far from simply being a place in which to get the job done. These fundamental changes – a faster-paced, less formal culture with a stronger social agenda – are bound to have an impact on the traditional view of the office environment.

With this in mind, we need to re-think office design, putting employees (or perhaps, more accurately, consumers) at the heart of the workplace. It’s all about experience. We need to build a holistic system of services, technology and physical places that enable productivity. Many will still try to make this brief fit awkwardly into the traditional idea of the office, but  the way I envisage the office of the future is much more like a hotel, or city quarter, where the 9-5, desk-based drudgery will be consigned to history.

The next issue of See Further will be released on the 26^th June 2014.

Francesca Jack (francesca.jack@archtam.com) is a director with ArchTam’s Strategy Plus practice in London.

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