Firm: The General Design Co., Washington, DC
Look and feel of the office: The office sits in a historic row house, above Hank’s Oyster Bar. To get to the shop, you have to actually walk through part of the restaurant, which only adds to the charm of the place. “If it’s the first time you’ve been here, you feel like you’re sneaking into someone’s apartment,” says Soung Wiser, co-founder. “But once you finally make it in, it’s pretty warm and welcoming.”
Goal of the workspace’s design: To encourage collaboration and coziness.
Favorite element of the office: The chalkboard walls and thought bubbles. “The whole idea is to keep the ideas churning and the work top of mind,” Wiser says. “You never know what might strike while you’re making a sandwich.”
Workspace’s influence on creativity: “The designers are in one big room, and there’s no hiding from each other,” Wiser says. “It’s common to have a one-on-one review of sketches or comps, and then have everyone else roll over to check out what’s being discussed. We have wood floors that make loud noises when you roll—which surely elicits some kind of Pavlovian, creative-juice response.”
Interested in Making Your Workspace More Creative? Get Inspired!
Read this collection of past Workspace columns, which detail unique design studios in HOW magazine.
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