Wolf-Gordon Returns to Manhattan with new Chelsea Headquarters

Across the East River in New York City, after calling Long Island City, Queens home for nearly 30 years, textile company Wolf-Gordon is returning to Manhattan with a new corporate headquarters at 333 Seventh Avenue in Chelsea.

The new space, designed by Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis (LTL Architects), is a gorgeous illustration of how a company can use its workspace to showcase its products in the products’ natural element.

Companies creating interior design products, particularly office interior products, have an obvious advantage of being able to display their products naturally in an office environment. And we’ve all been to our share of showroom openings in the A&D and interiors products communities. But some manage to move beyond to the spectacular.

At its new Chelsea headquarters, Wolf-Gordon looked to LTL Architects for a spatial concept that would work within tough square footage constraints, while providing employees and guests a space to interact with Wolf-Gordon products.

LTL Architects conceived of a sliding panel display system that forms a “town square” at the center of the office.

“The system suspends a series of panels, which display over 40 Wolf-Gordon wallcovering and upholstery products and are easily updated with new product introductions,” according to the project description. “Its flexible design enables a more open, interactive setting or a “closed” version that separates the town square from surrounding work environments. The configuration can be customized for parties and receptions, casual work interactions and impromptu meetings, or training sessions, all based on how one arranges the sliding panels and furniture.”

Wolf-Gordon products are woven into every corner, pass-through, gathering space and enclosed room.

“For Wolf-Gordon’s new headquarters, we sought an architectural strategy that would present their staff with the products they collectively design and bring to market,” said Marc Tsurumaki, principal at LTL Architects, in the project description. “These elements become the very means to organize and transform the space, inviting interaction at every turn.”

Highlights of the space include:

>”Each executive office, conference room and communal space features a wallcovering applied to a single wall, treating it as a singular plane and visual focal point. Wallcoverings were selected from the company’s renowned design collections by Laurinda Spear, Karim Rashid, Petra Blaisse, Boym Partners, Kevin Walz, Tsao & McKown and Tjep.”

>”Upholstery fabrics by Mae Engelgeer were used for the lounge and reception furniture, and Grethe Sørensen’s Millions of Colors was specified for the boardroom and executive office chairs.”

>”The seven panels of Wolf-Gordon’s 2013 Exquisite Wink project showcase original works on the theme of landscape by beloved architects and artists including Michael Graves, Ali Tayar, Ben Katchor and Myles Karr, among others, and are showcased in various locations around the office.”

>”Wolf-Gordon collaborator and creative agency, karlssonwilker, inc. provided several contributions including a custom digital wallcovering for the reception area that is over-laid with Wolf-Gordon’s signature blue. Custom infographics offer wayfinding and add an extra nod of design caché to the space.”

>”Acoustical drapery lines the inside of glass office and conference room walls. The company’s acoustical fabrics have also been applied to acoustical panel substrates and stretch the length of the open office benching system, providing additional sound mitigation beneath open ceiling ductwork.”

Materials: All Textiles and Wallcoverings: Wolf-Gordon. Paint: Scuffmaster ScrubTough and Solid Metal from Wolf-Gordon. Wink clear dry erase coating: Wolf-Gordon. Furniture: Haworth, Vitra, Bernhardt. Porcelain Tile: Porcelanosa. Carpet Tile: Interface. Appliances: GE.