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Belkin empowers people to get more life out of every single day with their extensive range of products delivering power, protection, connectivity, audio and smart home solutions. From the humble beginnings of a garage in 1980s Southern California to a diverse, global technology company today, they remain inspired and driven by the connection between people and technology.
Because Tangram was a valued partner for Belkin's previous Playa Vista office, they were chosen once again to furnish their brand new 65k sq ft El Segundo office in partnership with architecture and design firm HLW.
“Tangram was our furniture partner previously on another assignment. We interviewed all furniture partners again for this project and Tangram stood out head and shoulders above the rest.”
- Barry Knudson, Belkin Global Real Estate & Facilities Operations.
Therefore, HLW and Belkin engaged Tangram to provide ancillary furniture and Studio Other to provide custom furniture.
The previous 150k sq ft office was multi-story and multi-building, and therefore felt decentralized to the point that certain employees never crossed paths with others. Therefore, the consolidation and move to a one-story expansive space allowed for greater department crossover and a core culture.
“One of the goals of the project was really to look at how they could bring people together, that they wouldn't feel quite so siloed and dispersed throughout the space."
-Louise Sharp, HLW Design Principal Interior Architecture.
We tried to make a space for our employees that feels like an extension of our personality and our brand in general, which is all about making people feel smart.
-Oliver Seil, Belkin Senior Director
In partnership with HLW and Belkin, Tangram provided a wide range of ancillary furniture for lab spaces, workshop conferencing, photo studio spaces, reception, welcome spaces, social spaces, outdoor spaces and open workspaces. All pieces selected were warm with a residential-feel and a mix of rich textures and sunset hues. The pieces were sourced from over 30 manufacturers and brought personality and comfort to every amenity space.
Highlights include the West Elm Belle Sectional in a rich and textured Designtex FOMO Maize serving as a focal lounge point in the Main Pantry, Green Furniture Concept benching surrounding a live tree and ROOM Phone Booth in the Open Work Area, and a beautiful Coalesse Potrero conference table with a maple finish for the War Room.
Because sustainability is important to Belkin, the Tangram team sourced materials that were natural materials that were local. Additionally, planters in varying colors, materials and textures were provided to accommodate all of the living greenery.
“We provided a lot of planters, and I think that really helped to warm up the space and make it feel really inviting,”
-Kasey Christensen, Tangram Sales Executive.
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Working closely with Oliver Seil, Belkin Senior Director, Studio Other provided 75 workstations, 10 communal tables, 8 conference tales, 1 bar table, 75 personal storage units for Belkin's team.
Studio Other began the co-design process with sketches, then renderings, then spent much time working heavily with raw steel and cardboard to prototype a wide range of design details, which kept the cost down and allowed the team to work through ideas quickly. Working with a team of design-focused individuals who were as invested in the process as Studio Other's team was a joy.
The team was amazing because they understood us. I’m a designer, my team is a team of designers.
-Oliver Seil, Belkin Senior Director
Every detail that went into the height-adjustable workstations custom-designed for Belkin was given much thought. White powder-coated steel, multi-ply edges for a touch of warmth, rounded radius corners to avoid knee impact and felt and leather bag holders and storage were incorporated to bring flexibility and softness to each desk.
Removable wing panels in grey felt have incorporated notches so the user can move it up and down depending on the level of privacy desired. Incorporated white powder coated steel planters bring biophilia to every station. A removable whiteboard with a leather pull allows for ideation to happen anywhere.
Other highlights include a collab table for the ID Lab, with hooks for bags and flex baskets and locking casters for flexibility; as well as a round conference table with a woodgrain surface and surface and edge power and a white powder coated steel base with integrated power through the floor.
Using "make people feel smart" as the project inspiration, Studio Other prioritized making every detail straightforward and simple so users felt comfortable in their new environment rather than frustrated and alienated. The overall goal of the space was to cultivate collaboration and social experience rather than a sole focus of heads down individualized work.
It was important that the space as a whole had character and was extremely design-driven to reflect the vibe of the company itself. Both Tangram and Studio Other deeply grasped this desire and provided a collection of furniture that was as cool and cutting edge as Belkin. Overall, Belkin's expectations were exceeded and they were thrilled with the space that reflected their brand and best served their 100+ staff.
“I would say this has been one of the best experiences of my whole career and I am incredibly proud of this place because we were able to really take all of the things we've learned about what Belkin needs and what our employees need and turn it into this facility, I couldn't imagine it having turned out any better.”
-Oliver Seil, Belkin Senior Director
