Page 58 - ArchDC_Summer2021

Reception area and elevator lobby.

view of the water. Elsewhere in the office, the dazzling spectacle
of light playing on water is effectively echoed through creative
materiality. Cole, who has a background in art and a keen sense
for color, suggested utilizing light-refracting dichroic glass
panels to delineate individual offices and workspaces. The
dichroic glass casts bursts of colored light onto the surfaces of
the walls and floor. “There’s a unique experience that changes at
certain times of day, where the light is right,” said Cordell. “It’s
very grounded in the time of day, the season, and how daylight
is interacting with all those finishes. Every day is a little bit
different. That’s paying back to their retail design roots—this
idea that retail is always changing. The whole experience is
meant to be a combination of retail and art installation.”
For Wilson, this space represents a perceptive trend Reception area, with dichroic glass fins lining the glass wall
towards hospitality-influenced workspaces. “Forward-thinking overlooking the atrium at left, and the lounge space in the background.
clients were already thinking it was getting easier and easier three separate work zones, and “is meant to be a hub for people
to work remotely. Everyone has a laptop, everyone has a to connect and develop a sense of culture.”
smartphone, we can travel all over.” So, why work in an office? Although all involved in the project acknowledge that
As Cordell sees it, “We can be productive working from home, the pandemic has changed the way we think about and use
but I don’t know if we’re more innovative.” Perkins&Will workplaces, both client and design team are confident that this
worked closely with Madison Marquette’s development team will be an office to which employees are eager to return. “The
to achieve a synthesis of style and functionality in the office, pandemic has been a fascinating experiment you couldn’t ever
creating a space that could serve as both showpiece and base recreate,” asserted Cordell. “It was kind of forced on us, but
of operations. For the creative, multi-faceted work of Madison we’ve learned. We have to infuse our office space with things
Marquette, innovation is driven by collaboration. In the firm’s that are really comforting.” Few offices can tout the waterfront
previous office, the layout required “one- or two-, sometimes views Madison Marquette enjoys, but Wilson predicts we can
three-person clusters of offices,” Cordell explained. “They all expect to see the increasing influence of hospitality and retail
were naturally divided by virtue of the fact that they sat in design in our workplaces. Creative and comfortable design
these clusters.” In the new space, “they wanted something that elevates Madison Marquette’s workplace into “a really enjoyable
would help them foster a sense of community and facilitate place to be, where you don’t feel like you need to bolt out of the
collaborating more,” he added. As a result, the sleek and chic office,” said Wilson. “This project represents that trend and how
new employee cafe is cleverly situated at the intersection of successful it is. I think we’re going to see a lot more of it.”

56 INSIDE MADISON MARQUETTE’S COMFORT ZONE