CAMERA OBSCURE HQ

Located at 731 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, Camera Obscure's headquarters offer its visitors an immersive experience that allow them to get to know not only the company's 360º technology, but also the company as a whole. The design is inspired by the components of a camera, and elementary forms, shapes, and colors work together with the effects of light to create a space that is both seen and experienced. These elements work together to create unique locations within the headquarters.

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Designed by myself and my classmates Lauren Feldon, Nina Gilden, and Jiayi Ruan, this project was created in the Fall semester of my Sophomore year at FIT. The goal of the project was to design an innovative headquarters for a breakthrough technology. After discussing with my team members, our technology of choice was 360º technology, like that of GoPro and VR Headsets. We created the company Camera Obscure, and this company focuses on the 360º technology itself, partnering with companies like GoPro and Google to offer its clients an unforgettable and immersive experience.  

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The headquarter consists of several main spaces that circle around the middle section of the building, which houses the elevators, restrooms, and technical closets. The guest first enters the headquarters through the Immersive Portal, a large, elongated, metal dome that completely encompasses the entrance of the elevator lobby. Inside this dome are projected images, videos, and lights that wrap around the client to fully immerse them in the 360º experience. After walking through the portal, the guest is greeted by the Concierge area where large curved walls frame the space, mimicking the shape of the Immersive Portal dome. The walls also have lights and images projected onto them and this was created to guide the guest from the Portal into the main space. The guest may notice the floor material change, where the black marble floor guides the guest throughout the headquarters. The guest can then sit at the Reception Lounge while they wait and grab a coffee at the Coffee Bar that is nearby. 

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Separating the Concierge and Reception from the office space (the Forum) is a glass partition with an open curved entrance that welcomes the client, or employee in. Following the black marble path on the floor, the guest, or employee, now walks into the Forum Space. The office space was designed with the intent to be used as a hotel desking system. Here, the employees can choose where they want to work, whether that is along the window at the bar height tables, in the Huddle Spaces, in the Lounge Pods, or working with others in the Breakout Rooms. The Breakout Rooms serve as a smaller conference room, these have a special glass which can become opaque at the touch of a button allowing for more privacy. Beyond this work area is the Living Room and Breakout Lounge where employees can take a break or work at the comfortable chairs and sofa. The location where employees choose to work can change everyday. By doing this, the company can ensure that the employees are working where they are comfortable and there is better use of the working space available.

 

With this hotel desking system, lockers have been provided for the employees to store their personal items, since they do not have a permanent work space. This locker area along the wall is divided by a glass partition and this allows for a little bit of privacy for the in coming employees. Along the windows on the south side are more traditional desks for employees. There are also pods that can be used to make private phone calls, meditate, or relax for a moment. In the corner of the Forum space is the Virtual Reality Lounge. This is serendipitous space gives the employees another chance to not only relax but also try out the technology that they are working with. This space is distinguished by the use of a one way mirror wall where employees can see in but inside is all mirrored and this again allows the employees and guests to be more emerged in the Virtual Reality and 360º experience.

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Past the Forum is the Executive Wing on the east side. The Mail and Stock area sit against the wall as a open space, allowing employees to come in and out. The CEO, CFO, and HR offices sit in this wing, with their walls an organic and curvy shape which follow the loose and immersive experience of the headquarters. And beyond this space is the History of Photography Gallery. While the 360º technology has become it's own thing over the years, it would not have been possible without there first being photography. Cameras have evolved greatly since its beginning and have paved the way for 360º cameras and photography. Various photos line the curved walls of the Galley with pictures hung on the ceiling as well.

 

Behind this Gallery is the War Room. This is the main conference room. Inside, the walls are lined with fractured mirrors, creating a playful environment. The last space in the headquarters is the Café. Here, employees and guests can chat and prepare their food. The curved wall from the Concierge area frame this Café area as well, it too having fractured mirrors like the War Room. The wall and backsplash of the Café features a large mural which bring more color and life into the space. 

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The ceiling system is also intricate. The immersive experience really beginnings in the elevator lobby area, where a curved ceiling guides the guest into the Immersive Portal. After the Portal, the ceiling is lined with a white baffle ceiling system, called Turf Doppelganger. This ceiling system outlines the shape of both the Immersive Portal and the Concierge area. The ceiling slab is at a height of 13’ 6” with beams running along it and the baffle system hangs below it at 12’. We’ve also used this system in the highly trafficked areas as it has acoustical properties. Above the concierge desk, we have added a light by Ralph Pucci, and throughout most of the space, there are round lights called Soho lights, both recessed and pendants. The baffle system changes to black and horizontal when entering into the Reception Lounge. Entering into the Forum Space, the guests are guided by a path, not only through the floor change but also with a custom suspended light above, called Alphabet of light, which is in the shape of the path below it.

 

Towards the end of the path on the right we are introduced to the Executive Wing, the Mail Room, and Virtual Reality Lounge. We decided to drop the ceiling down below the beams and finish it at 12’ feet above the floor here as this will create a more intimate and private environment. Towards the right end of the forum is the Virtual Reality space which has an LED strip where the ceiling and wall meet. This was done to create a more laid-back environment for the employees who come in here to relax and take a break, especially when the light is at different colors. The mail room has recessed lights, and the executive rooms have ceiling pendants. Towards the end of the hallway on the upper right we enter into the History of Photography Gallery which not only has a history banner running along this curved wall but also plexiglass panels that drop from the ceiling. These panels will display key moments in the history of photography but also can be changed into different images for new exhibits. The panels are also angled so the viewer has an easier time looking up at it. Next we have the War Room which features pendant lights called Arrangements Drop Down pendants and also a custom ceiling panel. The custom ceiling panel is a call back to the company’s logo, a camera, which has been taken apart into simple geometric shapes. This system drops six inches below the finished ceiling, giving the room dimension. And lastly is the Café which holds several large and small globe lights called Castore Suspension lights. As a call back to the different curvy shapes found through the space, and like that of the café island, we placed another Alphabet of Light, custom suspended light system.