Functional and decorative acoustical treatments, such as wave-like felt panels that float above a meeting table and a custom built-on-site walnut acoustical panel wall, minimize sound transmission. A rug—rather than wall-to-wall carpeting—reduces material use and the comfortable, stain-resistant upholstered chairs create a feeling of a cozy family dining room.

The walnut touch-latch cabinetry was crafted locally, as was the ash counter-height table that can be used for eating, working, or a brief meeting with a vendor or another coworker. Integrated storage organizes complimentary snacks and locally brewed coffee.

A variety of spaces allow employees to easily move around the office just like they might when working from home. Employees’ flexible schedules are easily accommodated thanks to small collaboration spaces and touchdown areas for those popping by to more private areas, such as the focus/lactation room off to the right of the photo.

Glass-walled interior offices benefit from natural daylight. Custom storage with nooks for a state-of-the art plotter printer and rolls of paper maintain organization.

Sit-stand workstations, in furniture-like wood tones, allow team members to adjust desks to their preferred height and offer private storage. The use of soft, sound-absorbing finishes throughout the project allows duct work—a nod the building’s industrial past—to be left exposed, without the use of a dropped ceiling.

Conference rooms have layered lighting and wall-mounted screens for those dialing into meetings remotely. The multi-functional half wall hides electrical, provides thermal warmth, and highlights the exposed original brick.

The interior “residential core” of the space houses the single-room bathrooms and hidden server room (the doorknob in the image) and is wrapped in deep green nickel gap—a nod to the firm’s residential coastal projects and Casco Bay location.

Each of the four private, single-room bathrooms is unique. The one on the left has a live-edge floating oak vanity top, made from a fallen tree by a local craftsperson. The one on the right has a sink base made by a local metal worker and is one of the project’s two ADA-compliant bathrooms.

The roof deck serves as an outdoor escape and is designed for casual lunches, events, and flexibility—many employees gather there daily at 3pm for a movement break. The sail shade provides comfort on the hottest days.

Custom built-in planters are inset with removable mesh trays so that plants, such as fragrant rosemary, hop vines, and other bee-friendly plants, can easily be brought inside during the winter and reinstalled the next spring. The deck uses a modular system that avoids roof penetrations and maximizes privacy while keeping the weight low.

The project’s urban location—within a 20-minute walk to three major residential neighborhoods—allows many employees to run or bike to work. (A shower in one of the four single-room bathrooms accommodates those who do.)

The office is in a former city of Portland Public Works building that was run down. The project’s adaptive reuse helped solidify the urban area’s revitalization while keeping with the original neighborhood feel.