Lighting Case Study: Illuminating Solutions Breathe New Life into Outbrain Headquarters
When Outbrain, an online advertising company, relocated their New York City headquarters, they turned to local design firm JIDK to revamp the dated space, making it suitable for a younger, technology-driven company.
One of the biggest initiatives for the space was updating the lighting — JIDK sought to make a playful yet functional statement while improving the employee experience with varying light sources.
How the lighting took shape:
Distinct Lighting For Distinct Areas: At Outbrain, JIDK collaborated with lighting designer Pei Heng Tsai from PHT Lighting Design on sourcing linear lighting from Finelite for the work areas. JIDK took the pantry’s existing downlights and added more variety, such as the subway-style linears, making the kitchen more vibrant and brighter overall. Where the workstations needed a high quality, glare-free, even light, the kitchen now benefits from the sparkle and contrast of several light sources.
Getting Playful with Pendants: JIDK’s selection of unique pendant lighting doubles as a form of functional art throughout the new office. The colorful FL/Y bubble pendants designed by Ferruccio Laviani, suspended at various heights in the lounge, give the area a dynamic energy. Additionally, the offices got a mix of structural Nelson pendants to provide smooth warm lighting, while the green Scandinavian pendants anchor the new custom islands in the kitchen/cafe area.
Adjusting the Layout For Better Light Flow: The office was divided by many 8×8 cubicles, which were comfortable work areas, but cut the space into many little dark spaces. To remedy this, all the cubicles were reshuffled and refinished; JIDK cut them down in height and replaced the beige paneling with bright blue felt. This adds in a fun statement color while also allowing the new lighting to flow better throughout.
