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industry Hall of Fame wall in the reception area,
another example where NAB branding toggles between
the industry’s past and future.
Industry iconography continues in the ninth-
floor café that opens to a large terrace accommodating
employees during the workday and serving as an
outdoor entertaining area when NAB hosts social events.
The dropped ceiling of the café takes the dynamic
sculptural form of sound waves and the starburst-like
pattern on the café walls could be interpreted as an
abstract rendering of broadcast signals.
The Hickok Cole team pointed to the flexible
layout and the variety of workspaces that will permit
NAB staff to safely return to the office. Meeting rooms
that can easily be reconfigured with moveable walls,
open areas for collaboration, personal workspaces to
ensure privacy when needed, integrated technology,
and adjustable desks and chairs are just some of the
elements awaiting returning employees. “We have all
become accustomed to working from home, which of
course is more convenient,” said Everhope. “As office
designers we need to create work environments that
are better than what we can get at home—that offer
better technology, opportunities to collaborate in
person, and to work as part of a team.”
Michelle Lehman, NAB’s executive vice president
of public affairs, said that the move into the new
building took place during the Covid-19 lockdown and
that many employees have not yet even seen the offices.
She is confident that when her colleagues return they
will be as pleased as she is. “We have achieved what
we were hoping to achieve here,” she said. “The space
honors our past and celebrates our innovation. The
Hickok Cole designers were willing to take a deep dive
into this industry to tell our story.”

Private phone/focus room, with an “on air” light that indicates when it is in use.

42 THIS JUST IN “Broadcast box,” featuring a monitor for videoconferencing.