Pictured above is a leisure area for staff to unwind and take a break.
Pictured above is the 1000 SF Training Room which features wooden tiered seating. I wanted the room to stand out as an important destination which is why I tilted it slightly in plan. However, I chose to make it more transparent with the glass walls and pivoting doors in order to maintain some openness and allow passerby on the mezzanine level to view events below. The wooden slats also reinforce the autonomy of the space while providing a degree of transparency.
Pictured above is the Executive Conference Room, which is comprised of floor-to-ceiling glass walls to reinforce openness and transparency.
I introduced a gable rooftop to this design to introduce more natural light into the space and create height variation into the center bay. I also added and exposed HVAC pipe, steel trusses, and wooden beams to reflect the warehouse charm of the original building shell.
My design revolves around the 1000 SF Training Room which is the most utilized by staff and visitors. The acute rotation of the tiered Training Room creates contrast with the otherwise orthogonal enclosed offices lining the south and east walls on both the main floor and mezzanine level.
This contrast establishes a formal hierarchy and creates a way-finding device for visitors to easily navigate from the reception area to the Training Room.
The SEIU Local 1000
The SEIU is a union organization located in Sacramento, CA. It aims to represent, empower, and protect a range of workers, including: healthcare employees, educators, security workers, and custodians. Their aim is to help these essential workers prosper and receive their rightful wages and benefits. The SEIU has been a huge advocate for raising the minimum wage and elevating working conditions for low-income communities.
Project Summary
For this assignment, students were tasked to re-design offices for the SEIU Local1000. Students were limited to redesigning the interior space and could not reconstruct exterior walls, windows, columns, restrooms, elevators, or stairwells.
My concept for this project was to create a commercial office space which felt open, inviting, and equitable for all employees (from janitors to executive staff). I chose to line the south and east walls with enclosed offices so that the center of the space contained open workstations and common areas for staff to interact and engage with one another. Not only are the open spaces conducive to circulation, but they also align with union values about equitable working conditions for staff members. Unlike traditional offices where corner offices and large windows are reserved for executives only, this design allows all staff members equal access to natural lighting and leisure spaces,
