Project location
Boston, MA

Completed
January 1996

Services provided
Program creation, establishment of new corporate space standards, interior design services, coordination of existing furniture, specification of new furniture, and signage.

Total area
194,000 rentable square feet

Project description
Elkus/Manfredi's design of Bronner Slosberg Humphrey's headquarters began with 128,000 square feet on five floors of Boston's Prudential Tower. Elkus/Manfredi has since brought the design through six more floors totaling nearly 200,000 square feet. Known for their award-winning ad campaigns, the goal for this direct-marketing advertising agency was to create a space, particularly in the public areas, that would be as dramatic and as innovative as the firm itself.

One of the major challenges in designing this space was incorporating the open plan workstations that the company desired with an appropriate number of closed offices necessary to conduct daily business. Elkus/Manfredi helped the firm "invest" all staff in only two office standards: 6x8 workstations on perimeter with beautiful views and 8x10 private offices inside. Work space efficiency increased from 250 to 200 square feet per person. Also, by reducing the sizes of private areas, the required number of offices was achieved (70% office:30% open) with less space and more square footage was available for meeting/social areas. Despite increasing churn rates, the cost has been reduced by this highly flexible design.

Coffee areas on every floor, an espresso bar, Cyber Cafe, and soft-seating lounges were designed to offer opportunities for brainstorming, informal meetings, and social interaction.