Page
Better Light at the Heart of Employee Satisfaction
Location
Washington, D.C.
Architect & MEP
PageManufacturer's Representative
One Source AssociatesElectrical Contractor
CWT Electric
Photography
© Allen Russ PhotographyImagine asking all your employees how their workspace could be improved. How could they be more comfortable during the workday? What would make them feel more inspired? That’s exactly what Page, an architecture and engineering firm, did before renovating their Washington, D.C. office. They surveyed everyone—from the executive team to project architects and administrators—with a goal of creating an environment where their people would love to work.
It all started when Page decided to expand. With their existing 7th-floor interior, designed circa 2000, and the newly acquired 8th floor with its distinct 1980s aesthetic, the firm knew it was time for a renovation to bring both spaces together. “Everything about the 8th floor screamed the 80s—a fireplace, wall sconces with lions, heavy tapestry curtains, and an enclosed layout with interminably long corridors. We needed something entirely different,” said Lida Lewis, LID, ASID, WELL Faculty and an Interior Design Director at Page’s D.C. office.
Architects often find themselves to be challenging clients. “It can be harder to design for yourself than for a client, because everyone wants to be involved,” explained Lewis. But instead of restricting input, the team at Page welcomed it. “We surveyed every employee to identify areas that needed improvement and items that would make our D.C. office a place where people truly enjoyed working. I’m very focused on occupant comfort–and you just can’t get anywhere near accomplishing that goal unless you’re brave enough to ask.”
- Address survey findings to create a comfortable, uplifting work environment
- Create an office space that serves as a tool for better design and deeper client conversations
- Futureproof the interior so changing needs can be more easily accommodated
- Design towards the WELL v2 certification
“We were able to turn every overhead light into a source that could mimic the color of daylight, even as it changes throughout the day. We selected the Athena lighting control system because we could get that high level of comfort and control, and save on installation while we were at it.”
Lida Lewis
Interior Design Director, Page
Provide More Equitable Access to Daylight
The survey canvassed those working in the 2000s-era, 7th-floor office, which was largely retained and repurposed from a previous tenant. It revealed that employees were bothered by the inequitable access to daylight in the office—only the people sitting near the windows received natural light. Moreover, employees seated at the window line experienced disruptive glare, while harsh artificial lighting was a problem on the interior.
“We needed to give more of our employees access to natural light, not just the ones who sat within 8-10 ft. of the window,” said Lewis. “As with our client spaces, it’s the color temperature of the daylight and the way it shifts throughout the day that provides the greatest comfort and allows us to blur the lines where natural light ‘stops’. We also needed to be mindful of how we delivered that light–from where, to where, and for what.”
The solution was to install tunable white lighting, able to produce a wide range of color temperatures from a single light source, and designed to mimic the natural progression of the sunlight tones throughout the day—from the bright, cool light of the noontime sun to the warmer hues at sunset. Now, the interior lights align with the color temperature near the windows and even employees at the very center of the office feel as if they have some access to daylight all day long.
“We were able to turn every overhead light into a source that could mimic the color of daylight, even as it changes throughout the day. We selected the Athena lighting control system because we could get that high level of comfort and control, and save on installation while we were at it.” said Lewis.
Facilitate Client Conversations about Color Temperature
Beyond bringing daylight deeper into the office, better color temperature control facilitates deeper design discussions with Page’s own clients about the best lighting conditions for a project. While firms with static white lights are limited to designing under one fixed color temperature and attempting to explain their larger vision to clients in that singular light environment, Page’s office now offers an experiential immersion that allows their clients to consider and identify their preferred color temperature.
“There just aren’t many spaces in the area where you can truly experience what a range from 3000K to 6500K looks like. Now, one of the questions we’re able to ask ourselves and our clients throughout the design process is, ‘You’ve been in 3000K forever, but do you even like it?’ Just asking that question and being able to show them different options makes people think differently about the light in their space. The results can be surprising. You wouldn’t think that 6000K would ever be the most comfortable setting, but sometimes that’s turned out to be the case,” said Lewis.
Create a Firm Library that Functions as a Powerful Tool for the Team
While tunable white lighting offered the perfect solution for the overall space, the team knew that their material library demanded the highest quality light to facilitate an authentic exploration of fabrics and finishes and reduce client misunderstandings. They chose Ketra lighting for the task. “We needed our library to be a space where clients could see materials and finishes the way they would appear in the lighting conditions specified for their project. This reduces those instances where they love the color in the showroom but don’t like it in their finished space. We can also demonstrate the value of having access to multiple color temperatures. We ask how a client intends to use a space–the mood and sensory experience they’re trying to facilitate–and provide the perfect light environment to support each activity, whether they need one color temperature or several,” said Lewis.
Over the interconnecting staircase adjacent to the materials library, airy, geometric pendants provide an opportunity for even more light play and create a sense of celebration in the larger office. One Source outfitted Ketra Ready pendants by David Trubridge over the new staircase, drawing attention to the new spine of the expanded office and giving Page the ability to shift the feeling of the space—with the full spectrum of saturated colors, pastels, and the full range of white light with accurate adherence to the black body curve.
“We integrated Ketra bulbs in decorative fixtures over the staircase to create a sense of excitement that supported the WELL concept of Movement, focused around encouraging activity,” Lewis explained. “They also add a nice pop of color that can boost morale and inject a sense of fun into the day.”
From a pop of color to any color temperature of white light, Ketra lighting enables Page to highlight and adapt their statement staircase for any use
Offer a Private Retreat
Small rooms for restoration were a new type of space the firm added during the renovation. The employee survey and WELL v2 standard emphasized the need to provide employees with a more private alternative to the larger open office space where they spend most of their workday – rooms where the ‘locus of control’ is in the hands of the occupant and a variety of sensory stimuli can be tailored to the experience of one rather than many.
“There are lots of reasons that someone may visit these private spaces—to call a doctor, take a mental break, shift perspective,” said Lewis. “Whatever the reason, one of the things we really wanted to accomplish in this space was to empower people and give them the feeling that they’re in control of their environment. It allows them to take stock of how they’re feeling and the type of stimulus they need–and then tailor the lighting to provide it.”
Getting the lighting right was critical to creating a space that offered the opportunity for personalization, so the design team chose Ketra. “We selected Ketra as the light source for these pods because it offered the greatest environmental flexibility–and we could keep a more residential/hospitality feel by installing them in simple floor lamps. Our employees can use the space to re-energize with a brighter light and some energetic music, or they can chill out under a warmer, more relaxing light.”
The new office space is now occupied and in use. While the team is still in the process of pursuing WELL v2 certification, the renovation successfully delivered a place where Page employees love to work. “The new office physically feels better. Glare is a non-issue, we’re more in tune with the passage of time and transformation of light, and the employee experience has greatly improved—whether it’s at the window or the center of the room. The restoration areas perform just as we intended. Employees love them–they’re in heavy rotation.” said Lewis.
The client responses have been good too. The team has been surprised by how often they use the lighting system to show clients the impact of color temperature on an interior. It always makes a big impression. Tours and demonstrations are common, and Page hopes to use the space to educate even more clients in the coming years. “We’ve been thrilled to enhance the everyday lives of our employees— the opportunity to impact even more lives through education is extremely rewarding as well,” Lewis added.
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