TURETT COLLABORATIVE ARCHITECTS

TeleMedia Accelerator Offices, New York, NY

Project Description

Client: TeleMedia Accelerator
Project category: Multiple-tenant office space
Location: 30 West Broadway, 14th Floor
New York City Size: 22,000 sq. ft
Status: Completed March 2000


When the leaders of the TeleMedia Accelerator approached TCA in November of 1999, they had a vision of a workplace where energy and innovative ideas naturally emerge, where state-of-the-art design breeds open communication. TCA responded by creating a future-focused 'lab' environment that encourages a new workplace dynamic.

The unique nature of the TeleMedia Accelerator project added design demands. A for-profit enterprise with a civic mission, the TeleMedia Accelerator was created to provide seed funding, space, infrastructure and professional services to accelerate the growth of new companies in broadband content and e-commerce sectors. It is the first of five planned public-privately funded projects started by the New York City Investment Fund, founded by Henry Kravis, and the City University of New York. When fully occupied, the space will be home to more than 10 individual organizations with distinctive personalities yet shared needs.

TCA addressed this challenge with a ring of offices organized around an existing service core. Conference rooms and pantry space connect to the center. TCA's design reflected the Accelerator's new workstyle. A lounge, a think tank and a large open space for casual meetings or just relaxation were added. Each space plugs into the central core, offering an alternative environment for group or individual breaks. The private incubator space is separated from the public corridor by a sinuous, full-height wall. Inside, the plug-and-play facility is designed to accommodate today's breakthrough technology. Included in the infrastructure is a T3 link with fail-over path to DSL, Cisco firewall, Foundry Network switches, as well as fast Ethernet access to all desktops locations.

From the moment one arrives at the Telemedia Accelerator, the focus is on the future. A translucent reception desk is set against a tangerine wall. A projected logo behind the desk reinforces the mood. Serpentine green walls are washed with diffused light from a ribbon-like band of silvered lamps. Walls curve through the space. Vividly colored acrylic lozenge-shaped boxes appear to float along the main hallway, the office's only straight hallway. Brilliant white floors pop against a background of metallic gray stippled wall covering.

The attention to innovative design combined with modern materials continues in furniture created by TCA for the Telemedia Accelerator. In one conference room, a meeting table is made of clear, honeycomb plastic, sandwiched between clear glass and lime green acrylic. Accented by soft backlighting, its modern mood is balanced by a practical, multi-function design. The 14' by 5' table can accommodate 14 meeting participants. When a mechanism along the spine is utilized, the table separates into two units that attach to the walls of the conference room, making the space suitable for group presentations for 40. In another conference room, the table doubles as a notepad. Made of white marker board framed by powder-coated steel, the table is built to provoke group participation.

Since the TeleMedia Accelerator is located in a building of The City University of New York's Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), TCA worked closely with BMCC executives and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York to ensure that the design of the TeleMedia Accelerator met the school's building requirements as well the new organization's goals. TCA was able to complete the 22,000 square foot project in less than four months at a per square foot cost of approximately $72. New tenants began occupying the TeleMedia Accelerator in March of 2000.

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