White Box | Rottet Studio

The company’s founder wanted to create a work environment that was more of a home than a workplace for his employees. The project is 16,264 square feet with only 14 employees, so amenities and special unique features were key to project programming.  Every employee has a desk at the long trading desk in the open office as well a private office for personal phone calls.  Other amenities include: a private conference room overlooking the bay, teaming room just off the trading floor, gymnasium for personal training, relaxation room for massages, an open pantry and copy center just of the trading floor and a visitor office area, which includes touch down offices and a private bathroom with walk-in shower.
Second Award |  RTFA 2014 Awards
Category: Interior Public Built
Participant  Name: Caitlin Graham
Country: United States 
Due to the nature of the business and the constant visual stimulation of looking at multiple computer monitors all day, the design team sought to create a “visually quiet” space. The office is conceived as a “white box.” As the white planes peel away, the materials, textures and colors behind are revealed – creating an element of surprise and discovery. The design team was careful to layout the plan so there are unobstructed views of the Bay.
One of the most notable design features in the project is the living room which spans the entire Bay side and the 54 foot-long entertainment bar.  The living room has a mixture of custom swivel chairs and Zaha Hadid nesting stools so informal lounging and gathering sessions can take place.  The entertainment bar is full of surprises inside including wine storage, library and magazine racks, a video monitor for digital art installations, dining table, workout equipment and weights for the traders and yoga ball storage so the traders can exercise their core muscles while at their desks.
Another critical element to the project is the custom trading desks.  The desks are so critical to their work that each one needed to be personalized to the user. The desks have articulating tops so they can be raised if the user would like to stand. There are television monitors embedded in the spine of the desks and each user has individualized controls. The private office furniture was also custom designed with features similar to the trading desks.  The personalized desks feature elements such as a “plug and play” media component, concealed personal printers, hidden safe, personal televisions and hidden doors to store away as one would hide in a closet in their house. The chairs are a lounge style with matching ottomans so that one can retreat into their home and kick back and watch television.
The owner is a patron of the arts and a collector himself. He wanted the office space to double as an art gallery so that a changing collection could always be on display. The design team’s concept of the “white box” was to feature the art and make sure that the space was devoid of color so that the art would not be lost by the architecture.