High-end headquarters. Satellite Healthcare Project OM Workspace and DGA Architects design a modern interior to match its upscale exterior.   Project specs Location: San Jose, Calif. Space: 16,234 sq. ft. Office seating: 20 Open workspace seating: 43 Conference rooms: 7 Design firm: DGA Architects

Situation 

When OM Workspace^® and San Francisco-based DGA Architects were asked to design the new corporate headquarters for Satellite Healthcare, the objective was clear: create a modern, functional workspace that reflected the company’s new high-end home.

Since 1973, Satellite Healthcare has been improving the lives of people with chronic kidney disease through its more than 30 dialysis clinics and more than 20 home-dialysis training and support centers throughout the United States. OM Workspace^® serves as the nonprofit’s furniture dealer for its dialysis clinics, making this project a departure from the more basic and utilitarian design of the company’s stand-alone clinics.

Challenge 

In addition to Satellite Healthcare’s vision for its new environment, OM Workspace^® and DGA also had to consider the requirements of the building’s owner. The 16,234-square-foot, largely open-plan space — with conference areas and private offices — is on the third floor of a building completely clad in glass. Because of this, certain design standards needed to be met for furniture that could be viewed from street level. For instance, workstations were required to be at least three feet away from the glass and had partition height restrictions. Also required was a high-quality finish on furniture that could be viewed through the windows.

Solution

To achieve these goals, OM Workspace^® recommended a blend of Teknion’s District and Leverage^® lines of workspace furniture for the open areas. District and Leverage boast modern, clean lines and a classic design, with adjustable height panels to foster communication and let in natural light. Frosted glass was incorporated for privacy between the workstations, and elevated credenzas with fabric seating pads served the multiple purposes of guest seating, storage and extension of the desktop space.

An additional challenge was the project’s timeline, which from start to finish was approximately two months. OM Workspace^® worked closely with DGA to make certain the furniture was ordered and arrived on time, and coordinated with the contractor to ensure that furniture installation and placement matched up with power sources. OM Workspace^® also supervised specialty work, including the installation of microphones into a conference room table to be used with a state-of-the-art automated conference room system. OM Workspace^® also handled many responsibilities that would have typically fallen on the shoulders of a very busy Colin Carthen, supply chain manager for Satellite Healthcare. Carthen’s job responsibilities include negotiating contracts for supplies and services across the entire organization.

The finished product was an elegant, yet dynamic, space that complemented the strong architecture of the building and its surroundings. “We’re all about business development, partnering with doctors to construct facilities around the country,” says Carthen. “We wanted to project a certain image with our headquarters, and our new facility and furniture selections will allow us to do that.”