Boston Consulting Group: Detroit

Located in the city’s northern business corridor, BCG’s ever-growing Detroit office helps clients navigate a tough economy to find opportunities in their dynamic industries. Specializing in the automotive, health care, industrial, and green technologies industries, the Detroit team combined has more than 90 years of experience and deep expertise in the local market.

Working closely with Tryba Architects and the client, Studio Other provided fully custom furniture solutions for the 35,000 square-foot space, including 61 workstations, 10 credenzas and 16 conference tables.

The architect was inspired by Shinola, an American lifestyle brand based in Detroit, and aimed for that to bleed into the design through industrial and masculine features, and rich tones and materiality. Detroit is a city with a strong culture and history of “Made in USA,” so the Studio Other team wanted that to present throughout all of the furniture as well.

Workstations:

The client’s primary requirement for the workstations was for them to be unique in both shape and configuration. Harbor Stone systems, originally designed by Elkus Manfredi and engineered by Studio Other for BCG’s Boston headquarters, were customized specifically for the Detroit location. Materiality selected was inspired by Detroit, including darker woodsy finishes and curved powder-coated curved panels as a nod to the city’s history of industrial manufacturing.

Originally inspired by organic elements, the unique curved form of the Harbor Stone system and its ability to rotate slightly allows for the highest level of flexibility and mobility. Ultimately, the system is user guided—giving each individual choice and control in their work environment. Thanks to these features, BCG employees have the freedom to work at any station, a practice known as “hoteling.” Beyond the spatial benefits, employees working in this environment typically have higher productivity and morale as they have the option of working in a unique environment each day, ultimately promoting employee empowerment.

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