Spacesmith designs Avon's executive suite; MEP engineer was AMA Consulting

As part of an ongoing relationship with Avon, Spacesmith was selected to design the company's 8,500 s/f executive suite in the new Avon Headquarters at 777 Third Ave. The suite is located on the same floor as the product shop, image room and Heritage Wall, all designed by Spacesmith. Spacesmith combined the tradition and history of Avon with a more contemporary image by creating a welcoming environment that is efficient and functional. The design is light and open allowing views out and daylight in through glass walls and open vistas. A clean, modern luxury permeates the space. Feature walls of hand-cast resin delineate public and private zones. A feature of the executive suite is the visitors' sequenced arrival from the elevator lobby, along a dedicated corridor to the reception lounge and the boardroom beyond. The formality combined with a sense of hospitality is a reminder that this is, indeed, the company for women. The reception lounge planned for hosting special daytime and evening events includes a seating area with classic Barcelona chairs and a simple entertainment bar with delicate glass pendant lights that add glitter to the otherwise softly understated space. Avon executives were involved in creating the atmosphere of their offices, which include personalized spaces and customized furniture to meet individual work styles and aesthetic preferences while maintaining a design consistency. Open support workstations adjacent to the executive offices allow for natural light to penetrate the space and foster ease of communication. Spacesmith was able to accommodate individual requests for support staff as well within the corporate brand and guidelines. As part of the strategy to reduce construction costs and waste, existing smaller offices were repurposed for use as huddle rooms for informal meetings. All offices are fully integrated with the latest technology for lighting, security, media and communications, including motion sensors, automatic shades, and hidden video screens, microphones, and speakers. As a shared, semipublic space, the boardroom and lounge provide this technology and amenity for all of Avon's board members and visitors. The project team included: architect: Spacesmith; project manager: Spacesmith; MEP engineer: AMA Consulting Engineers; contractor: Petretti and Associates; IT consultant: TM Technology Partners; AV design: Power Audio Visual Corp.; and furniture dealer: WBWood.