Aragon Construction serves as construction manager for Dentsu America

Dentsu America, Inc., the North American Flagship of the largest advertising agency brand in the world, has relocated from midtown Manhattan to 32 Ave. of the Americas. The 27 story, 1.15 million s/f, tower is located in the lower Manhattan's Tribeca. Dentsu Holdings shares the 16th floor of the Rudin-owned and managed office building. Leading construction firm Aragon Construction, serving as construction manager, commenced pre-construction on Dentsu's new space in May and is scheduled to complete the project by the end of October. Aragon has gut renovated the 50,000 s/f floor and, together with TPG Architecture, created a sophisticated, comfortable, collaborative space for the Dentsu brand. "In doing so, we've also delivered on Dentsu's intention to take advantage of the cost-effective nature of the commercial real estate in lower Manhattan," said senior project manager Richard McKay. "We've taken the space down to concrete floors and stripped the ceilings out, and, are finalizing our build out of sleek loft-like offices, a café with a Koifish tank and two hat-box shaped 'think tanks' for strategy sessions." Other design details include over 40 different light fixtures, back-lit glass, a centralized pantry and open coffee bar to promote employee interaction, floating ceilings, raised floors, stone walls, a 'living room,' which functions as another break-out space, and a step down middle area for the think-tank rooms and work stations. Wall-mounted self-contained waterfalls are being installed at the end of several corridors, and the DIRTT system was utilized for the glass and metal office fronts. 3 Form acrylic, a clear resin material with large perforations that allow light to filter through it, is being used in the elevator lobby and to form the brainstorming rooms. "Between the dots of light coming through the acrylic, and the glass office fronts, there will be a tremendous amount of natural light penetrating into the interior space," said, McKay, noting the effect is "Something that is rarely achieved on a full floor with a foot print of this size." Additionally, the think tank/brainstorming rooms are built on platforms, 30" high, with lights reflecting underneath, creating the illusion that the rooms are suspended above ground; likewise, the curved, hat-shaped roofs -- which drop down from the ceiling -- also appear to be floating. "The combined effect," said, Steve Yavrouian, senior director of TPG Architecture, "Is one of the brainstorming rooms materializing as glowing beacons of thought." "The sunken staff area runs down the center of the office creating an environment unto itself, one that Yavrouian describes as almost Central Park-like, with the offices -- which are all glass fronted -- ringing the staff area. The openness of the space promotes team work and interaction; as for color,incorporating some of Dentsu Worldwide's guidelines, there is a calmness to the general space punctuated by vibrant colors," said, Yavrouian. The office tower is a communications, advertising and media hub. 32 Ave. of the Americas will soon house firms RAI Corp., Bartle Bogle Hegarty, TMobile and MCI WorldCom as neighbors. "With a job of this nature, the challenge is always securing the approvals due to the building's landmark status, but we have considerable experience navigating these waters," said, Aragon president and founder Alex Getelman, noting Aragon also served as construction manager for build outs on the 17th and 18th floors of 32 Ave. of the Americas.