Office moves aren’t events that are necessarily planned for or known ahead of time and they certainly aren’t an experience anyone looks forward to. Our feelings here at Interplan weren’t an exception. But once we knew that this dramatic change in our corporate life and location was inevitable, we began the process with a positive attitude and looked forward to the exciting opportunity it would give us to design a new space for ourselves.
First we took a critical look around us at the space we currently occupy. We discussed what has worked well for us and what we have found over the nine years we have been in this space could be changed or improved.
We discussed day-to-day operations and how well our current layout does/does not support them. Like our clients, we also had to consider how COVID has changed the way we interact with each other and our clients daily. We no longer have all of our client meetings in-person, so we had to allocate more real estate to privacy rooms, phone booths and conference rooms that facilitate private spaces for employees and teams to meet virtually.
Consideration was also given to in-office or remote work schedules and how they should be accommodated in the new space. The principals of the firm worked on projected company growth and how it should be planned for in regard to space requirements. Critical to the type of work that we do, we also had many conversations about how to support our constant collaboration and creative processes. Keeping our design library the size that it is now and properly organized was a large consideration as we frequently have clients in our library.
Eventually, we had to bring these evaluative discussions to conclusion and come up with a workable estimate of the square footage we would need to house all the people, equipment and activities necessary for the successful functioning of Interplan! The end result was a similar square footage to our office now, but re-invented to accommodate the new way people work.
With a handle on how much space we thought we would need, the next step was to consider where that space would be. To not disrupt or complicate the commuting patterns of our current Interplan team, we knew we wanted to stay in the Tyson’s Corner / Merrifield area of Northern Virginia. We knew we wanted a building whose exterior impression was either positive or neutral.
Unlike some of our corporate clients, we wanted a space that was a clean slate and wasn’t already built-out spec space. We wanted to have the opportunity to design our space and have it built out to showcase our expertise in interior architecture and design, not someone else’s design.
We wanted our new corporate home to have amenities such as: free parking, in-building exercise or gym facilities, food options, surrounding areas with dining and shopping options, and convenient access to public transportation. All of these items are important for attracting and keeping talent. We were hoping to find a space with a lease period that would give us long-term stability in our new location.
How were we going to go about finding this new place? How were we going to do all this and still keep up with our regular day jobs? We knew we needed help. We also had a good idea who could help us. Interplan has a history of excellent working relationships with real estate brokers in the Washington DC Metropolitan area. We needed to reach out to some of them and ask for their assistance and expertise. They didn’t let us down!
