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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
64 MISSION-DRIVEN DESIGN