An Architectural Firm Designs Its Own Office and Spark Makes the Work Shine!

An Architectural Firm Designs Its Own Office and Spark Makes the Work Shine!

By Randy Reid with Katie Smith

In 2019 HLW, a worldwide architecture and interior design firm headquartered in New York City, made the move from Union Square to 5 Penn Plaza, a strategically compact space of about 25,000 square feet. The new office space marks the partnership’s seventh location in NYC since being founded in 1885 by Cyrus Eidlitz. They are thrilled to join the growth of the revitalized and energetic neighborhood near Moynihan Train Hall and Hudson Yards.

After nearly 30 years in their last location, HLW seized an opportunity to create a new space that reflects new work styles and technologies. In this 1916 building originally known as The Printing Crafts Building, the architects exposed 14-foot concrete slab ceilings and riveted steel columns to maximize the volume and honestly express the structure.

Spark Studio Lighting Design LLC, an affiliate of HLW, designed the lighting. Scott Herrick, Principal and Founder, gave me a tour of the office and discussed the value of people collaborating face-to-face, emphasizing how a more communicative environment encourages collaboration in their work.

Spark works hand in hand with design teams to create lighting approaches that support project goals and allow forms, finishes, and functionality to be at the forefront. A major goal of the design for the HLW workspace was for the lighting to support rather than be the star of the show. The Spark team did everything from design, specification, and calculations to create a nuanced visual environment, while using Acuity Brands for general lighting, and Flos for decorative fixtures throughout. The process began in 2018, and construction was completed in July of 2019.

Transparency and honesty are embodied in this view through a conference pod to the all-hands gathering space that greets visitors at front.

Especially in this time of more remote collaboration, BIM technology has allowed for 3D visualization throughout the design and documentation processes, and lighting software such as LightStanza plugs into the Revit platforms to allow for more thorough analysis. Scott explained, “You are inputting detailed lighting characteristics into the model and working with the architect to envision our concepts. We’re finding that we are much more involved working with architects and interior designers, rendering the lighting in real time, as the design evolves.”

The first thing I noticed when entering their office is the lack of private offices. That choice was intentional when designing their space; the flexible and collaborative environment is reinforced by a shared workspace, rather than isolating offices. Besides the open flow of the floor, your eyes are quickly attracted to the exposed steel columns in the area, painted with intumescent flame-resistant paint which allows rivet and plate details to stand out. The columns add an industrial accent. The design in general is simple and timeless, striking a balance between past and future. HLW holds a significant history, and their office speaks to that.

HLW is celebrating its 137th year of practice and is one of the longest practicing architectural firms in the United States. The firm has been reenergized in recent years and continues to grow its footprint in the media, entertainment, residential, technology, legal, financial, and landlord sectors of work, with both ground up and interiors projects. The firm's goal is to tell each client's story with a unique and refreshing design that addresses their unique business needs.

The simple, minimalist design is replete with concrete ceilings and three walls of windows – allowing for generous natural light through the space. The daylight is complemented with LED lighting that adjusts slowly to changing conditions, providing a visually effective work environment. Scott emphasized that they did not want dramatic changes that can sometimes jolt the associates. Uniformity was critical, so the luminaires were added on the perimeter allowing the daylight to be well-adjusted. Scott explained, “We actively work to get to a balance between getting the lighting power density as low as possible, to maximize our LEED points, versus getting the output that we want.”

Carefully calculated direct/indirect lighting provides uniform illumination, balances daylight with vertical washes, and emphasizes the open volume.

The office is illuminated by a mix of pendant fixtures, indirect coves, decorative fixtures over work counters and their cafe counter, and one area with tunable white lighting. While the overall color temperature is 3000K, the Materials Library can be changed from 2700 Kelvin up to 6500 Kelvin, allowing designers and clients to see samples in different settings.

Their new office space allows for a personal and flexible experience, with an environment fit for the constantly changing landscape that the workplace holds. HLW continues to utilize digital and physical tools to bring ideas to life, and their new space allows for that to happen. Additionally, the new space complies with sustainability and wellness standards with an emphasis on materials, light, water, and air quality. The office is LEED Gold certified and has also received a WELL Health-Safety Certification.

Recessed linear fixtures underline the simplicity of design, with an internally lit logo that provides balance and energy to the elevator lobby.

The space is modern and flows well, with a simple and clean concept, allowing for the architect’s work to truly shine through. The careful lighting choices aid in showing off how electric light can interact with natural light and space, while creating an innovative and highly functional workspace for employees. ■