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Three ideas have outlasted the fashions in office design: walls that say something about the company, daylight for as many desks as possible, and a place to step away from the desk. If you are renovating an office in New York, these are the three to build in. Each has practical consequences for the layout, the lease and the permits.
Walls that do some work
Blank office walls inspire nobody. Color, images and graphics that show what the company makes or values turn a corridor into part of the place. What it takes: a smooth, well-prepared wall, and a finish that can be redone when the company changes, because it will.
A living wall of plants brings something of the outdoors to an office with no green outside the window. What it takes: water, drainage, enough light and somebody to look after it. It adds weight and moisture to a wall as well, so raise it with the landlord early. Planters, or preserved moss that needs no watering, give some of the effect with none of the plumbing.
Daylight
Natural light costs nothing to run, cuts the hours the fixtures are on, and lets plants grow indoors. The planning rule that follows is simple: do not wall off the windows. Put open desks along the perimeter. Give the enclosed rooms glass fronts, so that light travels through them to the middle of the floor. We have written elsewhere about glass walls that let daylight reach more of an office, and it remains the most useful single move.
Some offices have little or no window to work with. There the answer is diffused, even artificial light with a natural tone, which avoids both glare and gloom. Glass partitions bring one cost of their own: sound passes through them more easily than through a solid wall, so the rooms that need privacy also need thought about acoustics.
Lounge space people use
A lounge used to mean a microwave and a refrigerator. Offices now ask more of it: a table for ping-pong, air hockey or foosball, or the opposite, a quiet room and even a place to nap. The point is the same either way. People get a real break from the screen, rest their eyes and talk to each other.
What it takes: a pantry with a sink is plumbing and power. Games make noise, so put them behind a door and away from the desks where people concentrate. A quiet room needs a door that seals, fresh air and a light on a dimmer. Choose furniture that will stand hard daily use.
What a New York office renovation involves
- The lease and the landlord. Before designing, ask the landlord or building manager how alterations are approved in the building, what insurance a contractor must show, and when the freight elevator can be used.
- Permits. Most construction in New York City requires approval and permits from the Department of Buildings (NYC Buildings), and plans for filed work are submitted by a professional engineer or registered architect (NYC Buildings).
- Hours. The city allows construction from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays. Night or weekend work, which is often what an occupied office wants, needs after-hours authorization (NYC DEP), and the building will have rules of its own.
- Large gathering rooms. A space where 75 or more members of the public gather indoors needs a Place of Assembly Certificate of Operation (NYC Buildings). If you plan a big event or town-hall room, ask your architect whether it applies.
- Working around your staff. Decide early whether people stay during the work. Some jobs can be phased around them. Others go faster and cleaner with the floor empty.
Office interiors are part of what we build. Our page on commercial spaces renovation covers the range, from design and city permits through construction, and how we schedule around employees who stay in the space. The way we run a job under one firm is on the design and build page. Planning an office at home instead? See creating a home office. To talk about a space, use the contact page.
Renovating an office in New York? Call us and we will walk the space with you.
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit to renovate an office in NYC?
For most construction, yes. The Department of Buildings says most construction in the city requires its approval and permits, and plans for filed work are submitted by a professional engineer or registered architect. Painting and similar minor work are exceptions.
Can office renovation work be done at night or on weekends?
With permission. The city allows construction from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays, and any other time needs after-hours authorization. Your building will also have its own rules on hours and on use of the freight elevator.
Are living walls practical in an office?
They can be, where there is light, a water supply, drainage and someone responsible for upkeep. Where any of those is missing, planters or preserved moss are the more dependable choice.