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Most creative offices showcase the firm’s aesthetic style. But one Portland, OR-based firm went one step further, not only designing, but also building every inch of its space. Just like it does for its clients.
Twenty Four Seven isn’t your typical design firm. It’s an unusual hybrid of creative agency and manufacturing company, where the staff not only designs environments, but also executes them in wood and metal. So when it came time to develop a new office, staffers didn’t just design the space; they built every piece of furniture, every light fixture – much of it in their own workshop.
The 65-member team is housed in a renovated forklift plant in Portland OR’s growing northeast side. There’s no generic, modern lobby or large framed portfolio pieces screaming “Hire us!” There is, however, a welcoming warmth and vibrant personality that says “Make yourself at home.”
According to director of marketing Christine Martz, the exterior of the building – which lacks signage – is intentionally neutral in keeping with the surrounding industrial area. Oversized walnut-clad doors open to a striking red foyer, where the firm’s mission statement is printed on the wall. A shadowbox displays a witty scene. “It makes you wonder whether we’re serious or sassy,” Martz says.
The foyer leads to a communal area complete with comfortable yet stylish seating, candles, cozy throws and energetic music. Design director Rebecca Huston says that reception area, which includes a 20ft. custom concrete wet bar, clearly reflects the group’s design capabilities, quality standards and hospitable attitude.
This residential flavor is consistent with the brand-communication firm and its personality, self-described as tenacious and passionate with a youthful spirit. According to founder and president Mimi Lettunich, the 60,000sq. ft. building is a true representation of who they are and what they do. That’s because the group designed and built everything in the space, from the architecture and build-out to the furniture and lighting.
Team members say clients react favorably to the space. “If a client is comfortable here, then you know that we’re going to work well together,” Lettunich says. “We want people to walk in and get a feeling for us because, ultimately, that’s what they’re here to investigate.”
So what type of clients mesh with Twenty Four Seven’s style? According to its portfolio of environmental and graphic design, companies from laid-back Levi’s to fun-loving Candie’s feel at home with the firm. Other clients include Adidas, Calvin, Nordstrom, Kenneth Cole, Birkenstock and Nike.
Good Things Come…
Since the firm’s inception in 1996, the creative and execution departments of Twenty Four Seven existed in two separate building. Lettunich and the firm’s CEO, her brother Mike Lettunich, had been looking for the right space in which to raise their entire professional family for almost a year and a half before coming across this historic building. Built in the 1940s, the industrial structure originally housed American Steel. The duo was immediately drawn to its architecture, scale and natural light.
“We wanted a building that could be transformed into a beautiful creative space but also function from a manufacturing standpoint,” Lettunich explains. “We could have been out by the airport, but we wanted to be in the city.”
As soon as the two saw the space, they began making plans – like removing the drop ceiling to reveal rustic rafters and large windows. “It’s important to consider what’s possible with a building,” she says. “We walked in and could immediately see that the bones of this real estate had enormous opportunity.”
Much of the building was left undisturbed. Lettunich describes the final product as a successful combination of raw character and refined space. Cables from industrial hoists, catwalks in the rafters and labels for various docking stations can still be seen throughout the space. The poured concrete walls with visible slab lines – typical of buildings of the era – complement the warm tones of the conference rooms.
The group moved into the building in February 2000, only one month after acquisition and before renovation was completed. A team of 11 led the massive project, which was divided into three phases, spanned a mere 14 weeks and cost $550,000.
Aesthetically, the renovation was easy because the group has always been clear about its visual style, Lettunich says. The difficult part was subdividing the space. “It has to work functionally, and at the same time it has to offer space for fun and a little bit of play,” she says. “Some people are concerned with the return on each square foot. But if it’s about making it comfortable, natural and energetic for your team, then we believe we do get the return; it’s just not as tangible.”
Calculated Integration
The integration of work and play is evident throughout the office, with open meeting areas, generous workstations, libraries, a full-sized basketball court and inspiration boards that display ideas, keepsakes and other creative prompts. “What we do every day at work is a very passionate part of our lives. It’s equal to the personal lives we lead, and we wanted to reflect that,” Lettunich says. “We spend a lot of time with each other; we like each other and enjoy each other’s company.”
Account and project managers, production coordinators and fabricators, environmental and graphic designers, and designer engineers all reside in the area referred to as “the barrel.” It’s flooded with natural light and features a 35ft. arched ceiling. It facilitates a communal approach to work without losing the capacity for individual focus.
The barrel flows into a funky lounge that catches the attention of clients and prospective employees alike. Twenty Four Seven’s work is creatively displayed on the walls and in shadowboxes. A suspended “wall” made of scrim and custom-dyed vinyl tubing and elastic encloses the lounge.
These work and display areas are balanced with ample room for collaboration, relaxation, interaction and fun. The pool room houses one of the many standout light fixtures built in-house, along with a collage of employee photos that serves as a reminder that the firm isn’t just a business but a community of passionate creatives.
On the adjacent wall, peek-a-boo windows look onto the manufacturing area below, an unusual addition that makes this space – and this firm – unique. It’s a creative laboratory where highly skilled craftsmen work with a variety of materials, including wood, glass, vinyl and metal, to create products and prototypes. Castors on the tables make the workshop modular and expandable.
This integration of design and manufacturing ensures collaboration and continuity on client projects. “Design engineers can come to the area and work out solutions,” Mike Lettunich says. “They can touch the materials and make sure the product is built the way it’s intended.”
Personality Pays Off
This all-encompassing space has not only improved the firm’s work, but also heightened morale and fostered relationships. “Our team is more energized and inspired than ever,” Martz says. “We take our business seriously, and this space serves as a testimonial to the thinking and application we dedicate to our clients’ brand experience.”
And because clients always come first, the firm was forced to live up to its name by working many evening and weekend hours to complete the renovation. Mimi Lettunich attributes the project’s success to the company’s can-do attitude. “There’s always a way to make something happen,” she says, referring to both the renovation and the firm’s projects. “It’s just a matter of how comfortable you are taking that risk. And everyone here shares the same mindset. If you’re not excited by the challenge, then this isn’t the place for you.”
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