The new office for this lighting and control company is a living lighting lab – the result of a blank warehouse canvas turned into a refreshing office interior that doubles as a world class showcase for their innovative lighting technology.
ERW Lighting & Controls
Seattle, WA
Interior Design
2020
2021 NAIOPWA Night of the Stars
Retail Development of the Year
Bernadette Kelly
Interior Design Principal
Rachael Bauer
Project Manager
ERW’s goal was to function as an office space, but also as a venue to show their products in action. The entry features a simple backlit logo glowing through a laser cut blackened steel panel, while floating overhead rings of light turn a soaring warehouse entry into a more personable welcome.
Simple pendant lights balance with layered hexagonal suspended ceiling shapes, demarcating the open-office area and acting as an acoustic solution. An inset cube of partial height walls features slot lights creating a dynamic, playful rhythm of light. Hallways to the bathrooms are lit with whimsical angled light beams across the walls and ceiling.
In areas where there is natural light, ERW included products that can add another decorative layer of light to supplement. Walls were held down from the spacious 14ft+ overall ceiling to allow light to extend deeper into the space; these walls also feature openings, glass doors, and relites to draw in light from the rest of the office.
In the areas that had no access to natural daylight, more dramatic lighting treatments were employed. The testing area and the training room rely more on artificial lighting, which is favorable for mock-ups and trying out different light strategies. The restrooms were also placed away from natural daylight, with careful consideration paid to employing playful lighting in the restrooms themselves and along the corridor leading to them.
The workstations range from larger L-shaped desks to a benching system with open seats. As the office was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, the variety of seating allowed for social distancing without additional changes. Collaboration and breakout opportunities are intermixed, with planned additional lounge seating areas currently in the works.
