Steelcase Inc. WorkLife Center
Santa Monica, Calif.
Shimoda Design Group

Making a space fit for a space maker

© Benny Chan / Fotoworks

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

Architects designed the Steelcase Santa Monica WorkLife Center both to anchor the client's brand strategy and to create a space for customers to interact with the client's products. In doing so, the architects implemented the same design strategies that Steelcase encourages its own customers to implement—promoting the strategic value of a workspace as well as the needs of people working within it.

The architects’ main goal was to highlight the breadth of Steelcase's products—furniture lines that incorporate both architectural detail and technological elements. Each of the building's four levels floor are designed to illustrate how these products can easily be adapted into existing spaces to provide practical solutions to everyday problems. The first floor showroom displays new product introductions and customer-specific product applications. The space is designed to immerse visitors in a vibrant yet sophisticated Steelcase brand experience. On the second floor, the architects created an inspiring space that highlights the client's Design Partnership products. This particular design highlights intelligent product applications for individual spaces and technology-savvy team spaces.

The building’s third floor features the client's value-oriented products and demonstrates that delivering efficient space does not have to come at the expense of worker effectiveness. The final floor showcases the client's most feature-rich products in forward-thinking applications. The architects’ goal with this space was to help convince even the most discerning architect or designer that Steelcase can help deliver compelling spaces.

Formal name of Project:
Steelcase Inc. WorkLife Center

Location:
Santa Monica, Calif.

Gross square footage:
21,000 sq. ft.

Owner:
Steelcase Inc.

Architect:
Shimoda Design Group
837 Traction Avenue, Suite 101
Los Angeles, CA 90013
T.213.596.1771
F.213.596.1772
info@shimodadesign.com
www.shimodadesign.com