Commercial Architecture May 2019 - 16

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FEATURE

| offices

office work, often as part of a larger campus solution, and is taking
hold in many major cities," she said.

Ken's V I E W

While remote and co-working may influence the way employees
work, Spacesmith's Amy Jarvis doesn't think they will be what
drives the biggest changes in the next ten years in terms of office

The Really Big Shawarma

layout. "For most of us, I think the bigger shift is going to be in how
we start to define successful companies in the future and what that
implies for the physical space. While we all still use financials to
determine a company's success and value, I think there is a growing
need to also investigate the ethics and morality of the companies
we choose to support and work for. People are taking notice of

ome New Yorkers have taken to calling it a big

right, forever, to "amplify and reshare" those photos.

shawarma. "It" is a stairway to nowhere-so

Now, I'm not a lawyer, but I thought ownership of a

called by other detractors-located in the newly

photograph or other content included ownership of

companies that do the right thing and a big part of that is how their

opened Hudson Yards on Manhattan's west side.

the rights-all the rights-thereto. Regardless, your

employees are treated," she said.

Pending a permanent name, "it" is officially called

rights seem to be abrogated by posting anything on

Vessel-apparently not The Vessel.

social media platforms. So don't.

"Companies that build spaces that embrace efforts to promote
employee wellness will benefit from retaining their talented

For those to whom shawarma is not a familiar

The photographic controversy aside, at first

employees and actually getting more work out of them day to day,

menu choice, a shawarma is a Middle Eastern

glance I was a little dubious about the utility of a

Jarvis elaborated. "This is done by developing highly tailored

culinary preparation that involves meat stacked

stairway to nowhere. I thought maybe those stairs

design solutions for companies, or even departments within com-

in the shape of an inverted cone on a vertical

led to the shops and restaurants, and the developer

panies, while not throwing the baby out with the bath water when

rotisserie and shaved off for serving. Popular

just forgot to budget for elevators. Or it was just

it comes to the open plan. Office design is in constant evolution

around the world, you may know it as doner kabob,

a big, glitzy fire escape. Not even close. Quite

and it will never be something that we can stop and say, 'Okay, we

gyros, tacos al pastor, or other names depending on

literally not close. It doesn't connect to any part of

got it; this is the perfect solution for this business and for all busi-

the country that copied the idea. Its resemblance

the development as far as I've been able to tell. It's

ness for all time.'"

to one of those meat cones is why Vessel has

just a piece of freestanding, experiential sculpture

been compared to a shawarma and, alternatively,

where people go for the view, fitness bragging

a meat stick.

rights, or to take selfies.

At the same time, remote and co-working spaces require much
more flexibility and detailed research in workplace design, according to Spacesmith's Julia Libby. "This means executing in-depth

For the record, Vessel is an "interactive" design

Hudson Yards overall has earned its share of

programming or pre-programming exercises to determine the

piece by Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick

criticism as well. It's been called a playground for

amount of time spent in the office and the proper amenities

Studio, London. The 150-ft., $150-million structure

the 1% and condemned for the tax breaks granted

required to support a flexible environment. With less space dedicat-

is said to be "comprised of 154 intricately

by New York City. Weighty questions have arisen: Is

ed to traditional offices and workstations, there is more opportuni-

interconnecting flights of stair-almost 2,500

Hudson Yards really the neighborhood of the future?

ty for conferencing and amenity space. The introduction of

individual steps and 80 landings-with nearly one

Is Vessel a public space if you need a ticket? Will

co-working cannot solely be about a space reduction; it should also

mile of vertical climb." Heart attack, anyone?

pigeons roost in the structure?

be about developing office culture and creating new ways to work

By the way, you'll need a ticket, just like at a

Still, that's what architecture and public art

and collaborate. Other concepts like user-friendly technology,

Disney theme park (even though Vessel admission

installations such as Vessel often do. They create

room-booking systems, day lockers, and reliable IT support are also

is by a free, timed ticket), so don't forget to make

controversy, mockery, indignation, possibly a little

components to consider when designing the office of tomorrow."

an online reservation-if you can get one. I just

admiration, and disclaimers and rights grabs from

In the final analysis, the open office isn't going to go away, but

checked, and the attraction was fully booked

lawyers. Vessel does it all in spades. As for the rest

it will continue to evolve along flexible lines to mirror the culture

for two weeks, with no new reservations being

of Hudson Yards? You decide.

and practices of tomorrow's business environment. CA

accepted at the time of this writing. That's OK. It will

The Shed, a part of Hudson Yards that looks like

give you time to read the terms and conditions of

a quilted purse or one of those puffy jackets people

admission and perhaps consult your lawyer.

wear to look rugged and outdoorsy or something,

Sources listed below are linked at
commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/1905offices.

* Dyer Brown, dyerbrown.com
* Andrew Franz Architect, andrewfranz.com
* Perkins+Will, perkinswill.com
* HLW International, hlw.design
* Spacesmith, spacesmith.com
* Svigals + Partners, svigals.com
* The Architectural Team (TAT), architecturalteam.com
* An Architect's Defense of Open Plan Offices, Ashley L. Dunn,
https://www.fastcompany.com/90218754/in-defense-of-open-offices

MAY 2019

COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T UREM AG A ZINE.COM

In addition to stating that the owners of the meat

is an "arts space" that critically fares better. Some

stick shall be blameless should you injure yourself

critics say it partially redeems the excesses of the

or die on the installation, the original terms also

development because the 99%, who don't come

demanded you surrender the rights to any photos,

looking for a $10-million apartment or a Cartier

content, and even your own image. Incidentally, no

watch, can attend a concert or performance for an

sitting on the stairs.

affordable fee. And then buy a Cartier watch.

That caused quite a kerfuffle-the photography

Personally, should I find myself in New York with

clause, that is. Consequently, the aggressive legal

time on my hands, I may bypass Vessel and look

argle-bargle was altered with a slight tweak,

elsewhere for a shawarma-which I understand is

changing "content" to "social media posts." My

not to be found in any of the current Hudson Yards

imperfect understanding of the new terms is that

restaurants. Too bad. I have an unaccountable

people will retain "ownership" of their posts and

craving.

photographs, yet the Vessel owners still claim the

- Kenneth W. Betz, Senior Editor

http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/1905offices http://www.dyerbrown.com http://www.andrewfranz.com http://www.perkinswill.com http://hlw.design http://www.spacesmith.com http://www.svigals.com http://www.architecturalteam.com https://www.fastcompany.com/90218754/in-defense-of-open-offi

Commercial Architecture May 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture May 2019