CLIPS August 2007

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VOLUME 19 AUGUST 2007

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT DESIGNER FORUM DESIGN TRENDS FURNITURE TECHNOLOGY

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BUILDINGS FASHION OFFICE MANAGEMENT CULTURE HEALTH SOHO CASE STUDY

TCI PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDE: PROJECT PLANNING, PRODUCT SOURCING, SPACE PLANNING, DESIGN SERVICES, FLOOR COVERING, LIGHTING, SYSTEMS FURNITURE, FURNITURE ACCESSORIES, SEATING, WALL SYSTEMS, FLOOR SYSTEMS, BRANDING, MISCELLANEOUS FURNITURE, INSTALLATION SERVICES, WIRING AND CABLING LEASING AND RENTING, ERGONOMICS, WORKFLOW, TRENDS, SUSTAINABILITY

TRANSFORMING BUILDINGS into PRODUCTIVE BUSINESS ASSETS

From the President As a leading service provider in the Commercial Interiors industry, we look for ways to define our role – describe what we do to add value. A single phrase for us works well to answer that question:

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We transform buildings into productive business assets.

We are, it is true, in the office “fashion” business, but even more importantly we are all about making an important contribution to our clients’ bottom lines.

For this edition of CLIPS, we are delighted to feature Julie Snow in our Designer’s Forum. We hope as well that you’ll take a look at an interesting new client in our featured customer section – The Arizona Diamondbacks.

As always, if you want full text versions of any article, please contact Megan.Sciera@target .com.

Best regards,

Joe Perdew, President Target Commercial Interiors

Corporate Headquarters 81 S. 9th St. Suite 350 Minneapolis, MN 55402 Ph 612-343-0868 Fx 612-332-5733 Toll Free 888-333-4664 TCI-1 (Retail Store) 2470 West 79th Street Bloomington, MN 55431 Ph 952-885-7600

Sales Office / Showroom 1365 North Road, Suite C Green Bay, WI 54313 Ph 920-884-0265

Sales Office / Showroom 2804 Rib Mountain Drive, Ste. E Wausau, WI 54401 Ph 715-849-3131

Sales Office / Showroom 1020 John Nolen Drive Madison, WI 53713 Ph 608-257-0521

Sales Office / Showroom 902 North Perryville Road Rockford, IL 61107 Ph 815-398-3300

targetcommercialinteriors.com © 2007 Target Commercial Interiors

CLIPS is a service provided by Target Commercial Interiors to help keep you informed of industryrelevant trends, issues and ideas. We survey the literature, summarize key articles and present them in a digest format for your convenience. Full text articles are available by contacting Megan.Sciera@target.com.

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Consider the key words Transform – take something and make it into something else Buildings – of any size and shape; new or old Productive – everything we do and sell is designed to increase productivity in the workplace Business Assets – critical component of every company's profitability.

Julie Snow, FAIA

Julie Snow Architects

Julie Snow leads a studio-based architecture practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The work of the studio is characterized by refined detail, lightness, and spatial clarity. With a diverse and unique body of work, the practice explores the potential of conventional, as well as exceptional programs.

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The practice has been recognized locally and nationally, winning numerous awards including the Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award, a Design Distinction Award from I.D. magazine, and two Architectural Record/Business Week Awards. The studio’s work has appeared in the journals Progressive Architecture, Architecture, Architectural Record and Architectural Review, as well as in several surveys of architecture including Architecture After Modernism (Thames and Hudson), Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture (Phaidon Press), Architecture Now! (Taschen Press), Designing with Glass: Great Glass Buildings (The Images Publishing Group), and Modern House 3 (Phaidon Press.) Most notably, in 2005 Princeton Architectural Press published the first monograph on the studio’s work as part of their New Voices in Architecture series.

Julie Snow has taught at the University of Minnesota College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and received the Ralph Rapson Award for Distinguished Teaching. She has held visiting professor positions at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, Washington University, and University of Arkansas. The studio’s work has been presented at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, San Francisco MoMA, NY Architectural League, the National Building Museum in Washington DC, and at many professional conferences and university lecture series.

DESIGNER FORUM

Julie Snow Architects is currently working on a Land Port of Entry for the U.S. General Services Administration, master plans for the Minnesota Children’s Museum and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, a local residential project, and additional collaborations with past clients. The work of the studio work can be found at www.juliesnowarchitects.com.

The Museum of Russian Art, Minneapolis MN

designer Medtronic Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management, Mounds View MN

Origen Center, Menomonie WI

Great Plains Software, Fargo ND

Great Plains Software, Fargo ND

Intensity

Great Plains Software, Fargo ND

Julie Snow, FAIA

do was to make the building look good, our jobs would be quite easy.

Design intensity and focus must simultaneously solve the myriad of issues that surround the project. Early in my practice, I had the opportunity to work for manufacturing engineering clients. Their projects demanded high performance design--visually, functionally, and culturally. In addition, we were expected to perform well against reduced consumption of energy and fiscal resources, while meeting an aggressive planning design and construction schedule. For us, the design of each project must engage all of the issues surrounding the project: managing structural change within an organization, hearing the varied and sometimes opposing concerns of all parties, managing complex phasing, or creating a powerful architectural experience within the constraints of a limited budget. We believe that design is a powerful tool that our clients can use to challenge some of their most complex problems.

r forum Our design energy is not exclusively focused on the building's appearance, as obviously important as that is to us. In fact, if all we had to

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After several years of teaching at the University of Minnesota, I recently completed a few semesters as a visiting critic in architecture at an Ivy League university. This led to a colleague's question comparing the quality of students here and there. To be sure, the students out east were consistently very bright and very talented. I would not say that they are necessarily smarter nor more able than our students here, but the caliber of work was consistently far higher. One could argue that there were many reasons, but my sense was that the students were highly focused and worked incredibly intensively. Intensity and focus is the major differentiator of a practice dedicated to excellence. It is our insistence on excellence, the value that we bring to the thinking, designing and planning for our client's projects, that creates the intensity of our practice.

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Closed Off: Workers Gripe About Cubicles Charlotte Tucker

York Daily Record (York, Pa.); May 20, 2007, p1

DESIGN

Summary: This article notes that while cubicle workers possess accessibility in abundance, they face a barrage of unwanted noises and distractions, and a daunting dearth of privacy. One response to this situation was created by entrepreneurs seeking to increase cubicle privacy. Complaints from a 500 worker “cube farm” encouraged two members of the company to leave their day jobs and invent the “Cube Door.” Ranging in price from $21.95 to $34.95, they are available online at www.cubedoor.com.

Another response treated here was by a real estate company that got rid of private offices entirely and lowered the walls of their cubicles so that occupants seated at their desks could see over their walls. Salespeople sit on the perimeter, their assistants occupy the interior, and everyone has a clear line of sight across the 4,000 sq. ft. office. The aim is to build one integrated team that stresses collaboration over privacy.

Daniel Schoonmaker

Building Design & Construction (Chicago); March, 2007 v48 i3 p24

Summary: With office design so closely linked to business outcome, this author is concerned that designers “understand the importance of creating workspaces that get people’s juices flowing.” It’s not about a functional desk or a creative conference room, but rather “the whole experience of being in this workplace and thinking through every step of a daily routine.”

The author interviewed several leading architects about offices that they designed to support and influence creativity, with a focus on the principles they followed to achieve their stellar results. The article ends with a list of six tips for designing offices that inspire creativity.

Raise Ceiling, Raise Spirits: Researchers Studying The Effect Of Ceiling Height Found Higher Ones Stimulate Creativity, While Lower Ceilings Promote A Subject’s Attention To Detail Shannon Proudfoot

The Ottawa Citizen (Ontario); May, 2007, pD10

Summary: A study to be published in the August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research affirms what architects have intuitively long known – a person in a high-ceiling environment will process information in a more abstract, creative fashion, while those in a room with relatively lower ceilings tend to process in a more concrete, detail-oriented fashion. This article discusses the study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Minnesota and gives a brief overview of the field of “atmospherics,” which examines the ways in which people’s environment affect their thinking and well-being. The article also explores some of the implications of this study, such as hospitals with post-surgery recovery rooms designed with tall ceilings that help patients focus on the bigger picture rather than on momentary anxiety or pain.

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Inspiring Offices: Office Design That Drives Creativity

Mobile Office Is Today’s Office Trend The Jakarta Post; January 23, 2007, p18

Summary: This article provides readers with an overview of how the nature of the office has changed for mobile professionals. The protagonist is a young consultant in Jakarta, who has decided to avoid battling the local traffic snarls. Instead, she sits sipping coffee at a neighborhood cafĂŠ as she checks a proposal and then emails it to a prospective client. Her mobile telephone keeps her in close contact with her officemates. The article proceeds to discuss a host of new and improved instrumentalities whose rising effectiveness and falling prices are allowing ever greater numbers of workers to occupy virtual offices. New methods of communicating like VoIP are discussed, as are new services like Ibackup which allow people to collaborate in cyberspace.

TRENDS

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furniture Fashion Takes A Seat – Stylish Clothing Is The New Inspiration For Designer Of Office Furniture Linda Matchan

Boston Globe; April 26, 2007, pE1

Summary: Over the last five years the office furniture industry has increasingly taken its cues from fashion trends. One noted architect admits that designers are now seen in the trendy fashion showrooms of Milan, Los Angeles and New York where “we look at materials, colors, attitudes, which inspire more timeless, elegant offices.” This article highlights the influence of fashion on office furnishings, noting that a recent window display at the 108-year-old Peabody Office Furniture Corp on Boston’s Congress Street did not feature the usual desks, chairs and file cabinets.

Instead, an array of mannequins dressed in vibrant commercial fabrics intended for office workstations, attracted attention.

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Personal Technology: Here’s How To Tell What Kind Of Tech User You Are

Michael Himowitz

Newsday (Combined Editions), May 27, 2007, pF6

Summary: A report issued last month by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that Americans see the wired world as a mixed blessing. The researchers separated respondents into 10 groups based on their attitudes toward technology and how they use it. Among the findings highlighted in this article: The vast majority of Americans (85%) use the Internet, cell phones or both but many feel imposed upon by the instant connectivity. Most Internet users don’t read blogs; most smart phone users do nothing more complicated than make phone calls.

The 10 groups range from “Omnivores” (8%, true believers, gamers, bloggers, young and male) to “Light But Satisfied” (15%, adults, typically women in their 50s, who understand the basics but don’t use information technologies frequently). To find out how you fit in, take a simple online survey at www.pewinternet.org/quiz.

TECHNOLOGY

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Multiple-Monitor Proponents Point To Productivity Benefits Patrick Thibodeau Summary: This article makes a strong case for the benefits available Computerworld; March 26, 2007, v41 i13 p12 from attaching dual monitors to office PCs – larger electronic workspace, elimination of annoyances like the need to frequently Alt-Tab between applications and fewer trips to the printer to name a few. The author does note some potential problems, particularly if an IT department doesn’t actively encourage and support the practice – end users may need some initial technical support, including a video card upgrade that can support separate video output. Employees may also resist a second monitor over concern for lost desk space or uncertainty about the benefits of dual monitors.

The article is replete with glowing testimonials by end users who display email on one monitor, a browser window on a second and, in some cases, an application on a third, all the while seamlessly moving their cursor from one monitor to another. Vendor support for dual monitors is growing, particularly in the form of chip sets, and the Windows operating system has had built-in support for multiple monitors for years.

When insurance firm Durkin Agency Inc. moved to electronic documents last year, it installed multiple monitors on desktops to make it easier for employees to open documents and use applications in tandem.

The agency estimates that dual monitors have helped increase employee productivity by 10%.

New Eco-Friendly LED Lights Replace 75-Watt Light bulbs With 1,000 Times The Energy Efficiency

The EcoLEDs 7x1W LED lights currently retail for $39 each.

They can be purchased online at http://www.BetterLifeGoods.com.

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technology

Diane Domeyer

Summary: This news release announces a new PR Newswire (New York); May 15, 2007 light from EcoLED that can potentially save companies 90% on their lighting bills while greatly reducing CO2 emissions. The new light called the 7x1W LED uses only 7.7 watts of electricity while producing 382 foot-candles of light on a surface from 24 inches away (a typical 75-watt light bulb produces only 21 foot-candles of light on the same surface). Made of aluminum alloys and LED components, the light is more like a spotlight than a bulb, making it useful in desk lamps, recessed lighting and down lights.

Switching from a 75 watt bulb will save $346 in electricity costs over the life of the bulb while reducing CO2 emissions by 6,920 pounds.

The light produces no IR or UV radiation while running cool at less than 127 degrees F. The bulb contains no mercury. Technical specifications are available at http://www.EcoLEDs.com.

buildings BUILDINGS

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Here Comes The Sun

Jean Nayar

Contract (San Francisco); April, 2007 v49 i4 p67

Summary: This article concerns a building project by BNIM Architect in Missouri, a new national prototype “that highlights the successful marriage of sustainable construction methods with the General Service Administration’s Workplace 2020 program, which includes a set of criteria for creating efficient and collaborative government workspaces.”

The key to transforming a 1940s military aircraft engine factory into an inviting and productive workspace is a series of design considerations, including: • A glass-topped atrium that lets in natural light; • Oculus-like skylights punched into the ceiling allowing natural light to pour in over the workstations; • A massive light sculpture; and • An environmentally-friendly terrazzo floor.

The article includes a list of materials and suppliers.

What’s A Woman To Wear?

As Workplace Fashion Trends Continue to Evolve, It Seems Nobody Agrees Anymore On What Constitutes Business Casual

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Toronto Star (Ontario); April 23, 2007, pD3 Jen Gerson Summary: This article addresses the eternal issue of what to wear to the office. It notes that the stiff and formal office wear of old is long gone, but so too are the extreme casual dot-com days. Men’s businesswear standards remain more clear than women’s – no sandals or torn jeans, for example. Women’s work clothes are softer and more tailored than in the power suit era of the 80s. Business casual standards – always a bit nebulous – vary by industry and department. Guidelines are provided for a number of different industries. The author ends her piece by noting that corporate America is beginning to embrace an edgier, sometimes whimsical aesthetic.

Read This And Weep: Crying At Work Gains Acceptance

Sue Shellenbarger

Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition); April 26, 2007, pD1

Summary: Crying at work has long been frowned upon as a sign of weakness, but there is evidence that a growing number of workers, especially those in their 20s and 30s, think it’s old-fashioned to hide your emotions. Others – Shellenbarger points to Gen Y’ers in particular – pampered and praised by parents, burst into tears at even a hint of criticism.

OFFICE MANAGEMENT

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Although women still report crying more often than men, it is more socially acceptable since the 9/11 terrorist attacks for men and women to cry in certain situations. Some bosses now see crying as a way to get issues out into the open. Other bosses, the article notes, see crying as a natural side effect of the emotional investment required by many jobs.

Ring Tones Are A Major Source Of Aggravation For Many

L.M. Sixel

of man

Houston Chronicle; January 25, 2007, p1

Summary: In a survey of pet peeves at the office, 30 percent of working adults claimed to be annoyed by ringing cell phones. According to an online survey of 2,318 employed adults only one other annoyance – loud talkers – scored higher at 32 percent. Part of the problem, according to this article, is that cell phones have become such a pervasive part of our lives that many don’t treat cell phone calls in the same formal way they do calls on office phones. People tend not to limit their personal cell phone calls and they are more likely to discuss personal, medical and romantic issues on their cell phones in front of co-workers.

Because of the potential for conflict, many firms establish cell phone policies.

Sporting News Research Study Concludes Sports May Be Contributing To The Decline In Office Productivity; Inaugural Study Fielded Nationally Among 2,500 Sports Fans

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Sofia Galadza

The study revealed that sports could be contributing to a decline in office productivity.

Among the findings: • 45% of heavy enthusiasts agreed that “they probably spend too much time at work reading or thinking about sports”; • 74% indicated they often talk about last night’s game with co-workers; and • 67% regularly check sports web sites during the workday.

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Summary: Sporting News is a multi-media sports company that Contract (San Francisco); June, 2006, v48 i6 p80 caters to the passionate sports fan. In late March it announced the results of its first research study of sports fans called “Fandemonium.”

The survey of 2,500 male sports fans 12-64 was segmented by teens vs adults, light vs heavy enthusiasts and by sport.

culture

CULTURE

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Design Your Corporate Culture Lynn Grooms

Apply 7.5; May 1, 2007

Summary: For Joe Tye of America’s Values Coach it is a company’s corporate culture – largely in the composite of its people – that creates the most lasting impression of a business for its customers and potential employees. This article discusses Tye’s presentation at the Dow AgroSciences Premier Partner Summit in January, paying particular attention to his six strategies for finding and keeping great employees.

His first strategy, for example, is to “design and reinforce your desired corporate culture.”

He gives the example of Southwest Airlines, which is focused on providing its customers with a pleasant flying experience. They “hire for attitude, train for skill,” conveying the impression that they are interested in who the employees are more than what they know.

They try hiring employees with a great sense of humor or storytelling abilities who are inspired by their mission and vision. The result is a highly loyal workforce that is particularly adept at handling passengers.

This article touches on all six strategies that work together to enhance a company’s corporate culture by carefully designing and reinforcing their culture, creating and communicating their story, hiring first for cultural fit and only secondarily for contribution and qualification, and inspiring their workforce “with big dreams and lofty goals.”

America’s Values Coach publishes a free e-newsletter called “Spark Plug” available through www.joetye.com or by calling 800/644-3889.

Summary: A recent survey of 464 employers in the U.S. and Canada found that 62% of the organizations had wellness programs for their employees and another 15% said they intended to offer such a plan. When asked to identify the perceived benefits of their plans, employers cited improved employee health, higher morale, lower medical claims, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and decreased turnover.

Working Out Helps The Workplace Alison Grant

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland); June 4, 2006, pB1

The author of this piece is troubled that 41% of employers surveyed said they didn’t know how wellness plans benefited their companies. Worse, 87% said they didn’t know what kind of return on investment (ROI) was generated by their programs. The danger, says one expert, is that without evidence of such returns employers will be less likely to form a long-term commitment to wellness.

This article concludes with a section devoted to helping determine returns on investment for wellness programs and provides readers with examples of impressive overall cost savings achieved by health-conscious companies.

Crash Course In Tackling Obesity At Work Management Today (London); December, 2007, p18

Summary: Employee obesity has been linked to sickness, absence and reduced productivity. This article provides readers with an overview of how companies can help employees, reduce healthcare costs and positively affect their bottom line. The first step calls for companies to educate employees as to why body weight is important and why their companies are getting involved.

Employers are then advised to find out how many employees are overweight and how best to get them to voluntarily enter the program. Participants are then broken out into relevant groups and special strategies are developed to motivate each. Tips are provided to help companies craft effective incentives and avoid discrimination in their programs.

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Wi-Fi Warriors: Café Capitalists Devise A New Kind Of Daily Grind Bo Emerson

SOHO

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; May, 2007, pC1

Summary: A new wireless economy exists, driven by downsizing and outsourcing at large companies, increased traffic congestion that deters commuting and the near universal spread of wireless Internet service. According to this author, the new office is the Internet coffee house, where Gen X, Y and Z multitaskers find the bustling environment they crave. For the cost of a cappuccino the independent contractor has a well-lit workspace, clean bathrooms and high-speed Internet access and co-workers are instantly available through email, webcams and cell phones.

This article attempts to provide new “café capitalists” with a guide to this new office milieu, together with a list of “commandments for java businesspeople” which includes such common sense tenets as don’t monopolize the tables during the morning or lunch-hour rush.

Suggestions for such things as length of stay, minimum purchases and tipping frequency and amounts are also provided.

case study

CHASE FIELD Design/Finishes & Furnishings

by Target Commercial Interiors After eight years in their original Bank One Stadium, the Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball Club decided it was time for a change.

In 2006, the Diamondbacks made the decision to change their logo and colors, and create a “fan-based experience” at the re-named Chase Field.

The elements of the design solutions included: • Furnishing selections that fit the function, budget and brand • Driving the brand through consistent use of new colors • Interior graphic elements to support the fan-friendly theme • Signage design to support way-finding on a human scale.

Over time, this will allow the Diamondbacks to switch out, repair or replace worn-out or outdated components of the interior design, to keep the look fresh at a fraction of the cost of a total makeover.

With the Diamondbacks, Target Commercial Interiors adds an important new dimension to its growing list of market segments through innovation, creative product sourcing, and a commitment to flawless implementation.

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Charged with enhancing the stadium’s aesthetics, Target Commercial Interiors took a project approach focused on value, function and quality through the use of smart design and value engineering. And while a baseball stadium may seem like unexpected territory for a traditional office furnishings provider, it is evidence of the ever-widening acceptance of the Target brand promise of “Expect more. Pay less”.

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Target gives back over $2 million a week to education, the arts and social services.