1832 Buchanan Street
If you’ve been in a space for decades, sometimes an update makes sense. That’s the case with this office renovation we did in Japantown. The offices of T. Okamoto & Co. opened its doors back in the late 1960’s. You can imagine how it would look 30 years later. Worn carpet, a chunky conference table, stained ceiling tiles, and a kitchen right smack dab in the middle of reception were in place when we started this project. It was time for an update!
Our client needed a clean update with minimal interruption to their busy office schedules. We provided a full interior update. Our contractor worked tirelessly after hours and over weekends to minimize the impact during their office hours for the duration construction. In their overall construction timeline of 2 months, they had to close their office for less than a week in total.
Our work included a full replacement of the flooring, ceiling tiles, light diffusers, desks, chairs, expansion of the conference room, and installation of a new kitchenette tucked away from the main entrance.
Also, this office had two separate sides which were somewhat disconnected. We removed a wall between the two areas, creating a much needed increase in connectivity and flow.
Credits
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Owner:
- T. Okamoto & Co.
http://tokamoto.com/
- T. Okamoto & Co.
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Co-tenant:
- Scott Okamoto Real Estate Attorney:
http://www.scottokamotolaw.com/about.html
- Scott Okamoto Real Estate Attorney:
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Contractor:
Doherty Restoration
http://dohertyrestoration.com/
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Photos by Marta Felix Photography:
http://www.martafelixphotography.com/
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On the top you can see the cluttered, disorganized office. Obsolete typewriters and office equipment were scattered throughout the space. Lack of file storage had led to piles of boxes and stacks of files spread throughout. Also, due to the age of the office, a mish-mash of desk styles, sizes, chair types, and layouts had accumulated over the years. None of the workstations were standardized, leading to a chaotic configuration.
Below you can see our newly organized space with standard sized cubicles, updated furniture, and equipment for each work station. - Here you can see how we converted an underutilized copy/storage room into a new office for their co-tenant, Real Estate Attorney Skott Okamoto. In his space we opted for a hardwood flooring to match the walnut desks in the rest of the office, and also to tie into his vintage Danish modern executive desk. A splash of color meets your eye on the back wall in his custom artwork.
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Previously, a small kitchenette was placed directly inside the entry door to the office, making all the snacks, dishes, and equipment visible to anyone visiting the space.
As part of our remodel, we built a new partition wall to conceal the kitchen, allowing for a larger kitchenette area and a space for additional files as well as the copier. - Previously, the conference room had to be accessed by the smaller adjunct portion of the office. We flipped the entrance to the conference room so it is now accessed off the entry/waiting area and pushed the rear wall back to increase the size of this cramped space. Also, an oversized table and chairs made this space feel extremely crowded. By installing an appropriately sized table and chairs, this space became much more functional.
- On the left you can see the “typical” workstation in place. Actually, none of the desks, chairs, equipment, or storage was standardized between stations. On the right you can see our new workstations. They are all a standard size with additional counter space, tackable wall surface, and ergonomic chairs.
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Although not shown here, there was previously no waiting area. A series of mismatched desks greeted guests before our remodel. We created a dedicated waiting area with a door directly to the conference room directly adjacent to the main arrival point. Previously, clients would have to walk through the entire office to get to the conference room.
Also shown here is the enlarged opening into the adjacent office area to create enhanced connection and flow between all employees.