Project Name/Client: Oden Marketing
Design Firm: Hnedak Bobo Group
Location: Memphis, TN
Products: Tru Colors, Tres Chic, Synthesis III
Photographer: Jeffrey Jacobs

Challenge:
To create a more dynamic work environment for employees of Oden Marketing, while contributing to the Memphis downtown revival through the adaptation of a historic building for present day use.

Solution:
Hnedak Bobo Group team members involved lines as a key element in the design concept for this project. By balancing the strong line and original ornate architectural detail with calming colors and incredible natural light throughout, the space comes alive to the viewer, yet does not overwhelm. Hnedak Bobo Group created flooring patterns using Modern Glamour, Synthesis III and Tru Colours carpet from Shaw Contract Group to “trace” beam lines and outline dropped ceiling groups, instilling the space with a custom feel that echoes the historic elements of the building. 

Design Is . . . unique to each individual, creating limitless boundaries for the employees at Oden Marketing in Memphis.

What is Design?
Design is an opportunity to encourage a response from within. It evokes emotion. From the simplest sidewalk drawing to creating an entire city, design affects everyone. Its perception is unique to each individual, creating limitless boundaries. It always exists, whether good or bad, and cannot be disregarded.

How is Design best illustrated through the project?
Line is a key element in the design concept for the project. It draws the eye into the space and directs the flow of interaction. Through ceiling elements and flooring design working together, the space has a defined character impossible to ignore. Being inside is seeing imagination at work and inspires creativity for its inhabitants. Balancing the strong line and ornate architectural detail (original to the building) with calming colors and incredible natural light throughout allows the space to come alive without overwhelming the viewer.

Biggest Design Challenge?
Creating an image for the client on a tight budget while needing to stay within historical preservation guidelines presented a challenge. By using flooring patterns to “trace” the beam lines and outline the dropped ceiling groups, the space was allowed to have a custom feel that echoed the historic elements of the building and tied in the ceiling introduced in the new design. In turn, the client can welcome visitors in a space that pulls active lines together cohesively without becoming stale.

What made it Innovative or Unique?
The design development began with the unique ceiling patterns that were intended to be the basis of design for the space. As we moved forward in our thinking and began to see the need for working around the existing restrictions of the space to stay in budget, our focus of impact needed to be adjusted slightly. By keeping the initial designs for the ceiling in the common spaces and using the carpet elements to enhance the private office space, we immediately had a solution for keeping the space alive, staying within our budget, and staying in line with historical preservation guidelines.

How did Design make a difference?
Not only do the employees enjoy working in the space, but also the company’s clients benefit from meeting in it. One major client has decided to make their downtown meeting location in Oden’s Conference Room. By supporting the effort to revive downtown living and being able to utilize a historic building for present day use, it is more than just a new office space.

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