The design for this 9,000 sq.ft. office interior is within the renovated warehouse of the Metro Center (also by FortyEighty) in the Manchester neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Five Star Development is a rapidly growing technology based company headquartered in Pittsburgh that required office, creative studio, computer developer workspace, conference, and a seminar training facility. This space is currently under construction with anticipated completion in the fall of 2008.

The efficient plan optimizes workflow for the agency with flexible elements that allow the space to be re-configured for future growth. Private offices, team rooms, and small conference rooms are modular and can quickly switch use depending on staff needs. The studio space is defined by custom workstations that are manufactured out of inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials to form a modular system of components that can be arranged and re-arranged as project teams are formed, altered, and developed.

The entry sequence begins as you exit the elevator into a bamboo lined lobby space with a seamless flow into the main conference room and the skyline view beyond. The reception desk is composed from reclaimed timber that has been salvaged from the building modifications. The organization of the space provides support areas at the center of the floor with glass fronted offices along the open studio spaces. Building services such as HVAC and electrical distribution are coordinated above the lower ceilings at the offices and support spaces. This ‘house -withinin-house’ scheme maximizes the exposed wood ceiling and creates a clean, integrated interior.

The spaces are centered on integrated technology and information flow, and while state of the art digital technology is woven into the spaces, the company’s mission values authenticity over trendy. The space utilizes the spacious loft quality of the interior while working to highlight the authentic texture and materials of the renovated building. A restrained pallet of new materials and color create a space that will be warm, textured, contemporary and refined.