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Lounge, with wall graphic at right depicting NCARB
                                                                                members’ favorite buildings using seals representing the
                                                                                organization’s constituent state and territorial boards.



                                                                                                 Photo © Trent Bell Photography
                                                                responded with flexible technology and by making sure that
                                                                things could be concealed when appropriate.” Sustainability
                                                                and occupant health were also priorities: the office’s interiors
                                                                achieved both LEED Gold and Fitwel certification.
        Workstations.                        Photo © Boris Feldblyum  The flexibility of the space, coupled with the fact that
            Open-plan offices for staff are nestled between the   NCARB was already experimenting with hybrid remote/in-
        conference center and the staff lounge, as well as in a wing   person workplace models, helped the organization to adapt
        extending toward the northeastern corner of the building.   to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions quickly. “We already had
        Scattered within these areas are “fishbowl” offices for senior   ‘Zoom rooms’ everywhere,” noted Guillermo Ortiz de Zárate,
        staff members—their glassy enclosures admit daylight and   chief innovation & information officer. “We were not treating
        enhance interaction and communication with others. Various   people working remotely as second-class citizens. When COVID
        informal meeting spaces, including a row of “diner booths,” help   hit, I think we were pretty much used to the fact that somebody
        to facilitate teamwork, which has become more common among   was going to be on the video.”
        NCARB staff.                                                “All of us are trying to listen to our colleagues,” added CEO
            “We looked at how we could really open up the whole   Armstrong. “I’m trying to balance an increasing comfort with
        space,” recalled Holly Martin, IIDA, LEED AP, also a partner   remote work versus my interest in creating an esprit de corps and
        at OTJ (a third partner, Kevin Sneed, FAIA, IIDA, LEED AP   organizational identity. There is still going to be a necessity to
        BD+C, was also involved in the project). “We studied it in a   meet face to face periodically.”
        variety of different configurations,” Martin continued. “We
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