Everything You Need To Know About Design Republic, Office Space Gurus
The workplace is changing—from office giants like WeWork shaking up the workplace vibe to Millennials demanding more comfortable, collaborative and interesting spaces. The new trends are pushing everyone (even NYC law offices) towards workplaces that sync with workers' work and life styles to drive productivity and cultural differentiation.
Bisnow partner and architectural firm Design Republic believes it has perfected the process of driving business through workplace design. To get a glimpse of how it's doing so, we took a look at the firm's process-driven approach and some of the projects it's working on now.
To learn more about our Bisnow content partner, click here.
As work and life are more connected and continuous than ever before, blurred lines between the two are empowering employees to strive for new goals and set higher standards of what can be accomplished in the workday.
This all means that the workplace that inspires this productivity and meshes with company culture is more important as well. Through a synthesis of collaborative thought, professional action and exploration of clients' cultures and brand identities, Design Republic has cultivated workplace strategies that bring out the best in workers. Attitudes toward healthy and happier company cultures, the firm says, are at the core of new workplace solutions.
Design Republic believes it's developing an "artistic edge" in creating spaces that integrate and balance the various moods and modalities of work and by experimenting with different formats like collaboration-style offices and offering seamless tech amenities, for example, the firm works to create future-proof offices that not only inspire focused work, but maintain the work-life balance and improve profit and productivity as well.
When designing any space, the very first step Design Republic takes is to define a company's "current state of mind" in order to discover the "initiative to change" (the "why now?"). What drives the culture? Why does anyone want to work there?
The team then moves on to the discovery process. Through collective thought, site visits and utilization studies, the team can create space typology recommendations based on the findings, then host ideation workshops based on those recommendations. The plan is then finalized, and design development can proceed.
An honest and truthful client design brief is the story that unfolds during the design phase, but just because the plan's finished doesn't mean the process is over. The plan is continuously tested and monitored through the entire design process, implementing change with the client and design teams whenever necessary. DR has utilized occupancy surveys to continue to modify and evolve the space as the client's needs change.
Design Republic Specialists: With more than 25 years of experience, principal Neil Tucker focuses his craft on the media and entertainment industry, with recent projects including the design and construction of The Ed Sullivan Theater for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and GE’s Leadership Development Campus in Crotonville, NY. Before founding Design Republic, Neil was a principal at an international design firm.
Flagship Projects: The Ed Sullivan Theatre, NBC Universal Tonight Show, CBS, NBC Dry Creek, Telemundo Miami
Design Republic Specialists: Design account manager Vincent Iacobellis (bottom right) has over 20 years of experience specializing in both national and international retail and workplace environments. Before coming to Design Republic, Vincent co-founded and co-led a 50-person retail design studio, had been published in several industry publications, including VMSD and Retail Design, and won 11 retail design awards.
Specializing in retail, workplace and specialty design for worldwide brands, design manager Inga Kruliene is similar to Vincent in many regards. Not only does she also have over 20 years of professional experience, her work has been showcased in industry pubs like VMSD and Retail Design, she co-founded and was a design lead for a retail design studio, and has won 11 national and international design awards.
Design account manager Steve Segure (bottom left) is another industry vet, with 25 years of professional experience in leading national and international retail projects. Prior to joining Design Republic, Steven co-founded and co-led a 50-person retail design studio and (you guessed it) won 11 national and international design awards.
Flagship Projects: Bebe, Anya Hindmarch, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria’s Secret
Design Republic Specialists: Business manager Gabe Hernandez (bottom) has a whopping 32 years of experience in workplace design, planning and construction management. Prior to Design Republic, Gabe played a key role in the 1,000-person design firm Callison International as head of the NYC office. When he's not leading great design projects, Gabe does some investing in other companies, including tech startups Fatty Group and Appleseed’s.
With over 35 years of experience in the architecture and interior design businesses, Barry Ludlow (top) knows it backwards and forwards. After focusing his career on workplace environments Barry has achieved a sophisticated grasp and proven record of emerging work styles, trends and strategies that enhance clients' workflow. Known for his strong communication skills, Barry has been a serious asset to Design Republic's team since its inception.
Flagship Projects: xAd, John Hardy, Yelp, Stoli, Kate Spade, Wine Spectator, William Grant & Sons
Design Republic Staff: Vincent, Inga, Steve and Gabe all have their hands in specialty projects as well, when they’re not pushing the envelope in their respective arenas.
Flagship Projects: W Times Square, Kaufman Organization (Madison Lobby Portfolio), Phillips Auctioneers, GE Crotonville
