Commercial and Institutional Projects

Multi-phase National Life Group Home Office Modernization Project: 
     Montpelier, Vermont, August 2011- Ongoing: Project goal was to create a fully updated values driven collaboratively focused work space for 600 plus employees while reducing the amount of floor area used freeing up over 30,000 of tenant space to help pay for the renovations over the next ten years.  Renovations include over 140,000 square feet across three football field size floors utilizing best practices in workplace design strategies and open office design, aesthetic improvements, movable walls and workstations, collaborative technologies, mission driven space branding and state of the energy efficient lighting and controls.
     Workstations and movable office furniture by Herman Miller, designed and specified by Creative Office Pavilion in Burlington, VT.  Movable architectural walls by Haworth, designed and installed by Office Environments of Williston, VT.  Woodwork, standalone bespoke millwork furnishings, signature ceiling elments, planters designed by Arocordis Design.  Produced by Amoskeag Woodworking, Colchester, Vermont, installation by Summit Catamount Construction.  Arocordis Design developed overall workplace design strategy with common space design of front yards, backyards, color and finish selection, while collaborating in developing overall workplace strategies, workstation layout concepts, movable wall layouts, lighting fixture selection and layout.
     Special attention was paid to integrating brand messaging reinforcing core company values and natural elements such as extensive plantings along main corridors and elevator lobby areas.  Arocordis Design  lead the branding and design effort developing an overall strategy for all three key business unit floors focusing on public corridor areas and stairwells working with in-house designers and signage vendors to comprehensively  embed core company values into the DNA of the physical workspace.

View down main corridor and front yard area

Information Technology front yard area with low bench planters, 3form
resin panels and signature ceiling element with LED everchanging light.

View back towards reception desk
with conference room and low benches
in foreground

Central Building Core Area Branding Leading
Into Elevator Lobby, note alternating high to lower
gloss paint effects seeking to simulate leaves of grass

Elevator Lobby with Brand Slogan Continuing within

Collaboration Zone Meeting Area - Informal Space

Large 20 Person Meeting Room with Video Conferencing
within a movable architectural wall environment.

Collaboration Zone - Phone Booth / Team Space

Fourth Floor Lobby Area showing built-ins
and maple veneer covered movable architectural
walls systems.

Hotel Area next to core Front Yard with brand slogan
wall graphics in the background to reinforce company
mission and values

Typical Executive Office Showing Upgraded
Furniture and Equipment

Fourth Floor Collaboration Zone Showing Meeting Rooms
of Various Sizes 

Oversize photo murals from Employee
Calendar Shots in stairwell where piped in
music plays, reinforcing stair usage and wellness

Floor Identification Graphics Developed by
Arocordis Design placed in Stairwells for
wayfinding & fire safety

Central Core area with Historic Photo Mural Background with
Floating Display System Highlighting Employee Achievements

Backyard collaboration area.  Movable furniture and workstation
furniture by Herman Miller and National, Design and installation by
Creative Office Pavilion - Burlington, VT

Elevator Lobby Bench & Planter Wall

Open Office Work Area with energy efficient Tambient Workstation
Mounted Lighting.

Vermont Technical College Dining Hall and Student Affairs Offices Renovation
     Randolph, Vermont. 8,000 SF Dining Hall and Cafeteria Renovation, 2,500 SF Student Affairs Offices Renovation. Completed August 2012 in association with Ward Joyce Design
School administration charged the design team to update an overly dark and outdated cafeteria into an reinvigorated student centered space reflecting the energy and dynamism on campus and a new food service vendor.  Design team led by WJD collaborated with food services equipment and millwork provider in design and layout of new serving lines and support space with existing spaces.  Work included redesigning and selecting overall space lighting, new ceiling soffits, a brighter more vibrant paint pallete while integrating existing bench seating.

View to front of house serving line with curving ceiling
soffit and undulating counters.  Warm earthy paint colors
were selected to highlight an expanded food offering
while connecting to core VTC green brand color.

View of front transaction area into beverage
and ice cream area.  Note brightened up space
and detail of painted to match suspended
ceiling system with ceiling soffit.

Updated Serving Line with curving overhead soffit, decorative
lighting and birch trimmed serving line with engineered stone
countertop.

Gluten Free /Alternative Food Area with high dining
counters

AllEarth Renewables Office Expansion and Renovation: 
     Williston, Vermont.  4,500 SF Offices and administration work areas. Completed March 2011. Work included assisting owner in space planning, tenant fit-up and architectural mill work, lighting and ceiling design as well as assisting in selection of fixed finishes, interior colors, loose furniture and office equipment.    Redesign of front of house offices included designing a new open workspace with perimeter offices with a welcoming entry lobby area and collaborative lounge.  Doing so freed up other adjacent existing spaces for moving engineering and technical support areas while allowing expansion of existing assembly and light manufacturing areas into former office spaces.

Reception and Lounge Area

Reception and Front Conference Room

Open Office Work Area

Typical Manager's Office

Connecting hallway to Cafe, Other Offices and Production

Middlebury South Village Professional Offices 
Middlebury, VT 17,000 SF two story office building, completed 2012, work done while at Maclay Architects 
A part of a masterplanned smart growth oriented mixed use and pedestrian development, this building was designed to connect to Middlebury's precious historic fabric yet update it with a fresh contemporary exterior design coupled with high performing energy efficient green construction and detailing.  Expansive windows and skylighting provide ample daylighting into flexible easily configurable tenant spaces with easy access to a central common area and shared amenities such as a community conference room, showers and elevator. (Steve Frey was project manager and project designer through local planning, permitting, schematic design and design development )

View of building from development main entry off Route 7

Main Elevation

Illustrative Site Plan

View central stair way - 1st floor

Central stairway & upper lobby

Shared / community conference room with high transom
windows for day lighting.