Page 68 - Fall_2017

ArchDC Fall 2017.qxp_Fall 2017 8/10/17 1:17 PM Page 66

Spiral staircase. A “rock garden” of
porcelain stones was installed at the base Conference room with
after this photo was taken. video screens.

Beyond the main reception and conference area, private offices
line the perimeter of both levels. Glass partitions admit natural light
to internal spaces, including meeting rooms and a small cafeteria
with a single communal table to encourage staff interaction.
“There are lots of conference calls with people in Japan—both
after hours and before hours,” said Goebel, “so we created some
living-room-like spaces where they could feel comfortable while
on long calls.”
As Goebel pointed out, a government affairs office, even if
its ultimate purpose is selling ideas, is utterly unlike a retail sales
facility. While car dealerships are notorious for their brash, even
outlandish efforts to attract the attention of buyers, the hallmark of
this space is subtlety. Visual references to cars, automotive design,
and Toyota’s corporate identity abound in the space, but many of
them are understated. A visitor emerging from the elevator could
easily overlook, for instance, the floorplate at the threshold bearing
the Toyota logotype—an allusion to the metal plate at the bottom
of the opening for a car door. Even when actual corporate symbols
appear, they are often unassuming, as in the Toyota logotype
behind the main reception desk, in which only the edges of the
recessed letters are painted red, lending the faintest pink cast to
the otherwise white-on-white lettering.
Bolder decorative elements are carefully distributed throughout
the space so as to give them some breathing room. Lining one wall
of the elevator lobby is a series of aluminum panels with custom-cut
perforations suggesting both tire treads and the characteristic grills
of recent models by Lexus, Toyota’s high-end brand. Custom
artworks, curated by j fine art, LLC, include acrylic murals by

Small conference room with mural
66 TAKING THE OFFICE FOR A SPIN by Aniekan Udofia.