As short-term offices and coworking spaces explode in popularity, the demand for smart designs in these environments also grows.
TPG Architecture in New York City recently finished the design and construction of just such a space: 30,000 square feet for Silverstein Properties’ “Silver Suites” — a flexible, white-glove, turn-key executive office spaces — on the 46th floor of 7 World Trade Center.
Tenants of Silver Suites can choose to lease a single office as small as 100 square feet for as few as six months, or substantially more shared space for up to three years. The largest offices interconnect and can be combined with one another.
It’s a distinct upgrade on the idea of a business incubator or cowork space, meant to provide companies with a top-notch address and growth-focused services.
Said Tal Kerret, SVP at Silverstein Properties, “The vision behind Silver Suites was to provide incredible space and service in a great building to growing companies who would not normally have an opportunity to move here. We will also act as a facilitator between these companies and industry leaders to assist them as they move to the next phase of their business, introducing bankers, attorneys, accountants, and other professional consultants on an as-needed basis.”
Silver Suites’ first tenants include Syntactx, a healthcare company that specializes in medical device trials and leases three offices. Entertainment firm Tanexis Productions has two offices in the suite.
“Moving Syntactx to Silver Suites from our office in Midtown was an easy decision,” said David Ouriel, Vice President of Operations. “I want to be a part of the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. The combination of quality of the building, the new space and the spectacular views are not possible to get anywhere else in the city.”
The suites attract a diversity of tenants; from film producers, medical researchers, tech companies, and real-estate developers, to public relations firms, hedge funds, and talent agencies.
TPG designed 60 unique, fully-equipped offices plus reception, conferencing, lounges, a Skype lounge, copy center, and a break room — all with views of the Manhattan skyline.
The overall design gesture is “understated elegance.” Glass partitions on both sides of the corridor let light stream into the most interior of spaces. The reception area features white marble large-tile flooring and Macassar ebony paneling as well as a handsome, custom reception desk using the same rich materials. Throughout the space, the colors and finishes are neutral but luxurious, and the corridors are punctuated with Italian light fixtures made by Artemide.
Michel Fiechter, the Partner-in-Charge of the project for TPG, worked on the design with Lisa Silverstein, SVP at Silverstein Properties.
Said Fiechter, “We understood that this space should reflect the highest standard of interior finishes and design in the short-term leasing market. We designed it for maximum flexibility so that a range of tenants could have their business needs met and work in an atmosphere of permanence and stability. It’s an unusual project in that it’s a new work concept that we designed in a transitional vocabulary, neither boldly new nor stuffy and traditional; it is more balanced to meet everyone’s needs.”
Silver Suites, like all of 7 World Trade Center, has been designed to LEED Gold standards. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) awarded the space in March 2006. The building’s environmental design features include state-of-the-art ultra-clear exterior glass technology, high-efficiency air filtration, energy and water conservation technologies, and 15,000 square feet of open park space.
