STEELCASE NEXT STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION OF 2022

NEXT Cosmetics Corporate Office located in Manhattan, New York City, New York ('21)

Concept Statement

Set in the Upper West Side of New York City, NEXT's corporate office reflects the essence of a harmonious, calming, and tranquil design. The design concept originates from the femininity of cosmetics combined with the urban industrial feel of New York City. The spatial allocation supports a collaborative team-based environment that embraces all walks of life and reflects the company's overall brand and culture. The transitional nature of workspaces and the need for privacy in others allow the work environment to accommodate all employees' needs. At NEXT, customers and investors can visualize the relaxed nature of how this company operates amongst the city's busy atmosphere.

Blocking Diagrams

*NIC = Not In Contract (Areas of the two floors that weren't part of the area that could be used for the design)

Floor Plans

Reflected Ceiling Plans

The green lines indicate the dropped ceiling system that consists of wooden beams with inset LED lights, along with pendant lights adhered to the beams.

The green lines indicate the dropped ceiling system that consists of wooden beams with inset LED lights.

Cross Section

Reception Area

Reception Layout Design

The reception desk is comprised of two pieces from the West Elm Work Collection to create a U-shaped desk that gives the receptionist more privacy.
- The two pieces from the West Elm's GreenPoint Work Collection are Return and Single Sided.
The modesty panel is a custom feature made of the same materials as the tabletop and the desk supports.
The celebration board is located behind the reception seating area.
- It is an oversized virtual display screen that features a slideshow of the company's products, along with video advertisements.
The dropped ceiling is a lattice pattern of wooden beams.

Reception Layout Design

The reception seating area has four arm chairs and a couch, along with a coffee table and two end tables.
- The beige rug acts as a grounding element to the space, making it appear more contained in comparison with the open concept layout.
The brick partition wall features the company's, NEXT, logo; which sits behind the reception desk.
- On the opposite side of the partition, there is a wooden planter box to bring an element of biophilia into the corporate space.
The reception area is located in front of the elevators, which allows for easy access for clients and customers coming up to the office for appointments, etc.

Work Cafe

Work Cafe Layout Design

This space consists of two different areas: the indoor and outdoor seating areas.
- The entire outdoor terrace could also be considered seating options for those eating.
There are three seating options in this space:
- Sitting at the tables (either indoors or outdoors)
- Sitting at the high-top bar area
- Built-in bench seating
The three screens above the bench seating are virtual displays and have a similar purpose as the one in the reception area.
The dropped ceiling is a lattice pattern of wooden beams.
- The lighting in this space comes from LED lights that in inset in the wooden beams.

The bar has two mini fridges for storing drinks, along with under counter storage in the form of cabinets.
- The bar itself is meant for the storing and pick-up station for drinks and snacks for employees.
The brick accent wall along the bar highlights the area by differing from other vertical surfaces in the open layout, making it easy to identify in comparison.

Monumental Staircase

Staircase Information

This interior staircase takes employees and clients from the 7th floor to the 8th floor while continuing to stay in the office space, rather than taking the elevators.
The stairs (both tread and riser) are beechwood hardwood, and the railing is black iron.
- The stair risers are 8" tall and 1'-0" deep, with a metal railing that is 3'-0" tall.
The path of the staircase starts in front of the lone private office and leads to the open office space on the 8th floor.
The cut out in the 7th floor ceiling and 8th floor flooring is the precise length and width of the staircase to allow for better access to both levels of the corporate office.