Contract Magazine - January/February 2017 - 52

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Subance
Ferrier's
early work

together. I believe each time it's a different journey.
It's listening to them, figuring out the right look;
figuring out what they're looking for and delivering.
It's fun. It's like a puzzle."
Putting together this puzzle involves extended
client conversations. She often asks them to come
up with a headline for a project, as if it were being
featured in a newspaper or magazine. She carries each
"story" through with her sophisticated eye and ear.
"I'm a storyteller. It's about bringing that story to the
forefront," she says. Furthermore, "It's really about
gaining your client's confidence. Once you have their
confidence, they'll come on board."
For the Condé Nast Entertainment office
completed in 2014 in Lower Manhattan, Fred
Santarpia, the company's chief digital officer,
"wanted a space that would inspire people to think
creatively," says Subance Ferrier. After lengthy
brainstorming sessions, they conceived offices
that are bright, energetic, tactile, and blur the lines
between work and play.
"We needed to infuse the space with more
detail," says Subance Ferrier, who devised a rustic,
52

industrial aesthetic with poured and polished
concrete, open ceilings with exposed ductwork,
custom canted feature walls that mimic worn
metal, and funky furniture that creates a homelike
ambiance. Relaxed common spaces and fluid
transitions make working here less formal and more
creative. Offsetting the open offices are "nooks
and crannies for people to retreat to," according to
Subance Ferrier, including a faceted enclosure in the
center that houses private offices and conference
rooms. A quilted-leather-padded room is cozy and
warm, like a den. "It helps people recharge when
they're at work and gives them respite," she adds.
Transforming a publisher through design
Subance Ferrier and her TPG team are currently
in the midst of leading a radical transformation
of the headquarters for publisher John Wiley & Sons
in Hoboken, New Jersey, demonstrating the power
of workplace design to meet business needs. Wiley,
a 210-year-old publisher, is evolving its business
from primarily book publishing to being a
knowledge provider in multiple digital formats.

The company recognized that its workplace,
although only 14 years old, had to be reconsidered
to coincide with its culture and business model.
The once traditional, hierarchical plan defined by a
sea of bland high-walled cubicles is being completely
demolished to make way for a bright, airy open
office taking advantage of light and views of the
Hudson River and Manhattan. Employees will now
have multiple areas for informal meetings, kitchens
on each floor, and a large cafe for the whole company.
One phase of the multifloor project was completed
in 2016, and more will follow this year. As one steps
from a yet-to-be-reconfigured floor to one that is
complete, it is like leaping forward in time. "[Wiley]
wanted to be about exchanging information and
knowledge, and they needed an office to reflect
that," says Subance Ferrier.
Her savvy interpersonal skills were put to the
test with a Wiley employee contingent that was wary
of change and possible distractions in an open office,
according to Jeffrey Pellet, head of global real
estate and facilities for the company. "She made
an effort to understand those concerns and address
them," says Pellet. "We went through numerous
iterations of design and development. She was
outstanding at thinking on her feet and bringing
us all into the process. And she understood that this
needed to work well, not just look good. If she were
closed off to our feedback, she wouldn't have
adapted her ideas to our business."
Pellet is most pleased with the timeless
quality of the Wiley redesign. "This concept will still
be relevant several years down the line," beams
Pellet. "It's bringing people together, it breaks down
hierarchies, and it's inspired."
Harris Diamond, the chairman and CEO
of legendary advertising company McCann
Worldgroup, asked Subance Ferrier to capture
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