Manhattan, NY The New York City architecture, design, and planning firm of Montroy Andersen DeMarco (MADGI) has completed the construction of Trammo’s 19,000 s/f world headquarters, located on the ninth floor of One Rockefeller Plaza. Trammo is a global commodities merchandising, trading, and shipping company dealing in ammonia, energy products, liquefied petroleum gas, fertilizers, raw materials, and other chemicals. Trammo’s 2014 global annual revenue exceeded $12 billion, with traded volumes exceeding 45 million metric tons. Established in 1965, the firm employs 500 professionals based in 30 international offices. In 2014, it was the largest privately held company in the New York area, according to Crain’s New York Business magazine.
“We wanted a modern, clean office design with large, comfortable public spaces, an open reception area, and a commodities trading room incorporated into the new headquarters,” said Edward Weiner, Trammo’s COO/CFO. “Further, we wanted MADGI to reinforce our branding with strong, contemporary architecture and design elements that reflected the international commodities trading and maritime shipping focus of our operations. We wanted to promote coloration by creating an open office design and eliminating the cubbyhole offices in our previous headquarters.”
“The MADGI team helped Trammo with the search for the new space and held test fits that ensured Trammo’s 81 employees would fit into the space within the proposed program,” said MADGI principal Steven Andersen. “During the programming phase, we performed a study of the departments’ operations to optimize their placements within the office and improve interaction and collaboration among employees.”
Colliers International’s senior managing director Marvin Rosenberg was Trammo’s broker for the office search. Collier’s project management team, led by executive managing director Frank Edwards, oversaw the relocation of the eight-desk Trammo commodities trading group from Darien, Connecticut and the offices from elsewhere in Manhattan. The project team also included the general contractor J.T. Magen & Company, Inc.; the mechanical engineer MG Engineering, PC; the structural engineer Severud Associates Consulting Engineers; and the acoustical consultant Longman Lindsey.
Design
Trammo leadership liked the “tech loft” aesthetic for which MADGI is known, so the space features exposed ceilings and structural elements, glazed meeting rooms and offices, and plenty of shared “social” spaces for employees. However, the new office also provides an excellent work environment through fixtures and materials with high noise mitigation properties, such as Pyrok StarSilent acoustical treatment over exposed concrete ceiling surfaces, soundproofed doors in glazed meeting rooms, and glazed partitions with a high STC rating. Each private office has an Ecophon dropped acoustical cloud ceiling that fits two linear Finelite LED lights. Meeting rooms feature Fantoni Topakustik ceilings that provide additional acoustical mitigation, while also hiding some of the infrastructure.
Overall, the design incorporates the dramatic views from Rockefeller Center. “The public areas in particular feature the best views so that all employees can enjoy them, rather than relegating them to the executives’ private offices. For example, the pantry windows look directly at the skating rink and the site of the annual Christmas tree lighting at the heart of Rockefeller Center, offering one of the most desired views in Manhattan to all personnel. Trammo wanted a more egalitarian space that focused on the comfort and well-being of employees,” said MADGI designer Mariana Panova.
“Trammo wanted a lot of light and open areas. This proved to be a design challenge in a full-floor space that houses large structural columns and the building core,” added Panova. MADGI incorporated the columns into the overall design, while allowing for natural light access to all workspaces, either directly through exterior windows or through glazed internal walls. The space program includes Trammo’s own elevator lobby on the ninth floor, which introduces visitors to the company’s business and the signature design elements of the entire space, such as linear continuous LED lighting in the ceilings and multi-dimensional patterned walls. Panova states, “There is a cohesive design throughout the space that highlights the company’s business, energetic culture, and focus on shipping and raw materials trading.”
In order to further highlight the firm’s industry, MADGI worked with the client to create an image gallery along the long corridors throughout the space. The selected images were printed in an anodized silver finish on a magnetic background that can easily be switched around for maximum flexibility. Each of the images depicts topics related to Trammo’s operations, such as raw materials, minerals mining, and shipping. The image gallery brings more character to the space and adds a finishing touch.
Reception/social Area
The reception and social area is the main multifunctional space used for informal gatherings between employees and visitors, and more formal meetings for company events and presentations. One of the most interesting elements installed both in the reception area and the elevator lobby, is the sculpted wall of interlocking panels of plaster and fiberglass backing with a three-dimensional wave pattern, by Modular Arts. This architectural element represents the concept of water and waves. The large front door handles are custom manufactured in the shape of the Trammo logo. Linear LED lighting fixtures installed along the walls emphasize the three-dimensional effect of the wave pattern.
Marie Sailler, Trammo’s office manager who collaborated with the design team in the planning phase, explained, “We wanted a coffee bar in the combined reception/social space, with a high-end look and finishes, and a feel that is both elegant and comfortable. We love to see our colleagues gathering there to work or to relax.”
MADGI designed this section to feature a long coffee bar with bar chairs, lounge furniture, a large TV, a secondary monitor, and a large 3-D map of the world prominently displayed on the wall. The map showcases Trammo’s offices around the globe and is made of white millwork installed on a dark navy blue background. Two display cases with large models of Trammo’s gas and bulk carriers are also in the reception area. “These models were relocated from other Trammo offices, where they were previously displayed in cases of a very traditional design. MADGI created custom cases in a much more modern and clean look in frameless glass,” says Elizabeth Zagarello, MADGI project manager. One of these is featured next to the map of the world, in a ceiling-to-floor installation with LED lighting illuminating both the model and the adjacent lounge area with two sofas. Other ship models are displayed behind the reception desk and in the pantry.
The reception desk has a white Corian front with a Caesarstone top and side in a contrasting dark gray color. Reception furniture is from Bernhardt Design and Jamie Stern, with rugs from Lepere and Edward Fields. The lighting comprises continuous linear LED recessed fixtures washing the 3-D wall and creating a continuous effect along the reception desk and bar cabinets as well as the seating area in front of the map wall. The white 3-D Modular Arts wall features interlocking 32”x32” panels in a Dune pattern. The recessed downlights are No8 LED with a seamless sparkle flange.
The bar area features glass-front upper cabinets covered with ¼” white back-painted glass skins and lacquer lower cabinet doors. The stain-proof bar top by Arcstile is made from recycled glass and the bar front features metallic porcelain panels by Nemo Tile lit by an under-counter LED strip that highlights the finish. Other counter tops throughout the space are white Caesarstone, a non-porous, non-staining quartz-based material. The stools – Starck Masters – carry an open wave design. Two decorative chandelier-type lighting fixtures over the bar are by Ochre.
Both the reception/social area and the elevator lobby feature brushed, limed, and oiled oak flooring of engineered planks by Rivier Floors, and drywall ceilings with recessed lighting fixtures. The seating alcove is finished in horizontally installed wallpaper by Maharam, with Shinnoki pre-finished wood panels, and custom bench seat by Jamie Stern.
Offices and Workspaces
Beyond the reception/social area are the offices and workspaces. In total there are 19 private offices, some of which are located along the core of the building and some along the perimeter. All feature fully glazed dividing walls to allow natural light to freely penetrate the interior of the office. Office fronts, the Optos line by Teknion, were selected for their aesthetic and acoustical value – the foam gasket and drop seal provide superior sound insulation and a soft-close function. Carpet in the offices is Fletco’s Uno broadloom in light gray. Office furniture is by Steelcase. In the private offices, the furniture is made of gray ash wood with white glass overhead cubbies. A total of 50 open-space workstations are split into five separate areas with workstation furniture by Steelcase and Stritex carpet in a dark gray by Totally Carpet.
Support facilities include a parents’ privacy room, a mail and supply room, an IT room, and an ADA-compliant bathroom. Copy machines are located in several strategic locations. The bathrooms feature European-style full-height Carvart-Cloud laminated glass partitions in lime and apple green. Porcelain tile is by Porcelanosa, Stone Source, and Bisazza.
Conference Rooms
Two conference/meeting rooms of about 200 square feet each have been incorporated into the space. One of the conference rooms is glazed on two sides and features a bar-height round table and high bar-type stools to encourage more informal collaboration among participants. It displays accents and furniture in green and Trammo blue. The second conference room features orange accents and a clean white laminate table that seats eight. Both conference rooms are equipped with sophisticated videoconferencing systems for presentations and communications with Trammo offices and clients around the world, Fantoni dropped ceilings, glass boards, several world clocks, and an acoustical felt wall. The conference tables are by Nevins and Nienkamper. Tom Dixon Beat accent pendants in white and gold, installed outside the conference rooms over the file counters, add a soft glow to the space.
Trading Stations
A 550-square foot trading room was built to accommodate eight trading stations with adjustable-height desks and low dividers. Ample power, telecommunications infrastructure, and storage are provided to the traders. Two televisions on the adjacent wall stream information about the markets.
Pantry
The pantry area, which also serves as a meeting and event room, features large pocket sliding doors that can either open the space into the office or completely close it. It is located in the corner of the space, with impressive city views to the west and the north. There is a stainless-steel tile backsplash and a porcelain feature wall by Porcelanosa that resembles the finish of rusted metal. Floors are a dark-stained and polished concrete. Three bar-height islands in a warm wood plank provide a functional space where employees can have lunch, relax after a meeting, or plug in for AV presentations. Oversized LED pendant lights are Sky Garden by Flos in a matte brown finish. The space includes a sink and refrigerator, a television monitor for presentations, a ship model in a custom display case, and a storage closet.
Construction
“The construction team faced several challenges on the Trammo project, including the logistics of site access in the high-security Rockefeller Center complex and several long-lead and innovative materials and systems,” said J.T. Magen principal Robert Scheinman.
The timing of material deliveries was limited to mornings before 8am and weekends. In addition, the builders had to share the freight elevators with construction crews simultaneously working in other sections of the building. This required detailed, advanced planning of deliveries and a careful scheduling of trucks arriving to the site.
“The interiors feature several innovative materials and systems that had to be pre-purchased in advance in order to achieve the challenging 18-week construction completion schedule,” said J.T. Magen project manager Charles Russo. “These included Italian-manufactured Fantoni Topakustik cloud ceilings, which had to be ordered 15 weeks prior to the delivery, as well as low-profile, oval HVAC ductwork, which provides extra headroom throughout the offices.”
The space features nearly 10,000 square feet of exposed concrete flooring with a dyed epoxy seal finish. Due to the age of the building, originally erected in 1939, the concrete floors required a significant amount of repairs and a three-step polishing process with increasingly finer diamond polishing pads. J.T. Magen utilized protective plastic sheeting and HEPA filter-equipped vacuum cleaners to prevent dust pollution at the site. In addition, the polishing process was contained within pre-planned sections of the space to allow the continuous installation of other interior finishes, while the floor preparation and construction took place.
“The installation of the Pirok Starsilent ceiling finish was also complex,” said Russo. “All infrastructure connections and supporting ties had to be installed prior to the application of the acoustical finish. This called for careful planning and protection of already installed interior finishes while Pirok was applied to the ceilings above.”
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