Parsons Interior Design AAS
Admissions Creative Assignment
Present a collage of images illustrating your ideas for the design of a small advertising agency office in an urban townhouse. Your collage should include details (descriptions, images, or both) of the kinds of furniture, the colors, and the materials you would use to execute your ideas.
The Agency
The Halo Group is a New York City based, full-service branding and communications agency. Their goal, as their tagline suggests, is to help clients ‘shine’ through a cluttered, saturated market. Many agencies put across an edgier attitude, but Halo’s persona is very approachable, comfortable, traditional and somewhat reserved. Their client roster includes products and services for the average audience, including Hess Express shops, Lottery Rewards, Leibherr refrigerators and Mount Airy Lodge. The look and feel of their corporate branding is supported by the verbiage on their site, with key words such as ‘bright’, ‘open’, ‘shine’, ‘radiant’ and ‘energy’. The photography suggests a team of wholesome, intelligent individuals that interact like a family.
Overall Design
When I think of an urban townhouse, the first thing that comes to mind is my own apartment - a garden level unit of a townhouse in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Built in the early 1900s, the building was designed in the Victorian style, popular during that era. Victorian design is typically very formal, defined by deep tones, ornamental finishings, rich woodwork and heavy furniture. For the Halo Group, I would design an office that matches their branding and company culture – a space that is bright, mature, homey and comfortable to suit their family-like dynamic. I would like the space to pay homage to the history of the building, but also feature futuristic, modern elements, to position them as an agency that is forward thinking and cutting edge.
Color Palette
The palette was inspired by the colors on the The Halo Group’s homepage. I chose cooler white and light grey tones as the predominant shades to open and clean up the space with accents of mustard, teal and shades of blue, to include some of the jewel tones popular in Victorian design. I would also incorporate elements of metallic gold, which reflects light to give a glowing effect, consistent with the company branding.
Lighting
I would suggest fixtures that are prevalent in early 1900s design, such as chandeliers and brass sconces, but with more modern forms. Circular, gold pieces would be added, as a nod to the company name and logo. I would hang these futuristic lights from elaborate ceiling medallions over the conference table, reception area etc. for a fun, quirky look.
One design challenge present in this townhouse is that there are only windows in the front and back of the building. To make sure that natural light passes through the whole space, I would recommend constructing a conference room in the center with leaded glass walls, similar to the stained glass windows often used during the turn of the century. Not only would these serve a functional purpose, but would also add an interesting artistic element.
Furniture
Using rich fabrics such as tufted leather and velvet with lighter materials common in current design, such as Lucite, creates a good balance between old and new. A mix of contemporary clean lines and traditional scrolled shapes would add texture and movement against the monochromatic walls. Also common in Victorian style, custom built-in bookshelves would display agency awards and examples of previous work. Since the townhouse is long and narrow, built-in desks along the walls for individual workspace would free up area in the center for a collaborative work station.
Art And Other Accents
A framed flat screen TV above the fireplace in the reception area would display the company’s award-winning commercial campaigns. Hanging vintage advertisements from the early 1900s pays tribute to the industry and the history of the building. A large gold sunburst mirror would open up the narrow space and tie in the ‘shine’ theme used in Halo’s branding. The wood floors would be preserved and kept a darker tone to ground the light, airy design. The crown moulding, ceiling moulding and chair rails would also be preserved, but painted the same color as the walls to add texture, without standing out.
Many agency offices now include recreational and/or lounge areas into their offices so that employees can take time away from their work and open their minds for inspiration. I would use the private garden in the back of the building to create an outdoor game area and social space to entertain both clients and staff. I would also push out the back bay window to create an indoor/outdoor daybed for staff to use while on their laptops or taking a break from their work.
