The Women’s Business Council — Southwest (WBCS) has a 23-year history of providing national certification to women-owned businesses on behalf of the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) for the Southwest region, which includes Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and North and Central Texas. After more than 17 years in Arlington, Texas, the non-profit organization decided to relocate its regional headquarters to the Las Colinas area in Irving, Texas.
“Irving was a clear choice for our new headquarters because of its central location in the DFW metroplex,” said Debbie Hurst, President of WBCS. “Additionally, we now have the ability to hold committee meetings and our monthly Table Topics luncheon series in the same location as our offices. We are excited to be in Las Colinas and believe it will really enhance our ability to serve our members.”
WBCS utilized several of its certified women-owned companies to assist in different aspects of the new space. Interior architecture firm lauckgroup donated their time and services to design the 4,200-square-foot space, create custom graphics, and assist with furniture selection. Business Interiors received the bid to furnish the entire office and included a donation of a new large conference table. Eliza Solender of Solender/Hall represented WBCS in the transaction and Guaranteed Express assisted with the move.
For the design of the new office, lauckgroup sought to modernize the workplace and strengthen the brand, while making creative, budget-conscious choices. Upon entry, staff and visitors are greeted by a warm wood element that frames the company’s impressive history and accomplishments in a custom timeline graphic. The wood feature continues on the floor and ceiling, leading you into the main conference room. The WBCS logo is subtly incorporated into the reception, using matte and glossy white paint to portray the brand and bring further depth into the space.
Throughout the office, exposed concrete columns at a 45-degree angle give the space personality and inherent materiality. Some columns still show original markings from when the building was constructed, adding a layer of authenticity and rawness to the space. The exposed concrete columns allow for a neutral color palette, with accents of blue and grey as seen in the carpet and furnishings.
“Rather than having a traditional wall and door, most of the private offices or meeting rooms instead have two glass panels and an opening where the door would normally be,” said Anne Kniffen, Managing Principal at lauckgroup. “This was something we encouraged WBCS to consider as it ultimately brought more daylight into the internal workstation area. It also helped them stay within budget and create a more pleasant corridor.”
For an added level of privacy at private offices and the break room, lauckgroup developed a custom vinyl film pattern derived from the “W” of the WBCS logo. The subtle criss-cross pattern of the privacy screen reinforces the “w” shape of the logo, provides movement, and upgrades the face of all the small meeting rooms or offices.
Additional meeting rooms are found throughout the space, where staff or members can meet in a professional, yet dynamic atmosphere. The small meeting room features an exposed concrete column, and a contemporary felt lighting fixture with acoustical properties that help absorb sound and reduce reverberation.
The workstation areas are zoned and oriented to be supportive of a variety of needs as some staff are required to do constant verbal communication, whereas others require quieter spaces for focused work.
Patrons also enjoy an elegant break room with an upgraded tile backsplash and a table for six that doubles as an additional casual meeting space. The WBCS team’s previous break room was inadequate and underutilized so most employees ate at their desks. Now, a more welcome environment is helping to change that pattern.
“Overall, the design supports positive energy and great workplace principles,” said Kniffen. “We are grateful that we were able to help create a nice home that the WBCS staff and members can be proud of and enjoy for years to come.”
About WBCS:
Headquartered in Irving, Texas, the Women’s Business Council – Southwest (WBCS) is dedicated to increasing mutually beneficial procurement opportunities between certified woman-owned businesses, corporations, businesses, government entities, institutions and other organizations. With more than 1,200 Women Business Enterprise (WBE) Members and over 80 Sustaining (Corporate) Members, WBCS is in its 23rd year of providing national certification to women-owned businesses. WBCS administers the national certification on behalf of the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) for north and central Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New Mexico. To find out more about WBCS, please visit www.wbcsouthwest.org.
About lauckgroup:
lauckgroup is a full-service interior architecture firm serving corporate clients in the technology, legal, financial, retail, hospitality and higher education sectors. The firm employs roughly 50 people and is headquartered in Dallas with additional offices in Austin and Houston. lauckgroup projects typify design solutions that satisfy human, technical, aesthetic, environmental and functional needs. Visit www.lauckgroup.com for more information. For all lauckgroup happenings, be sure to follow the firm on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.