FITTING YOUR BUSINESS INTO AN EXISTING BUILDING

 

By Gail Tyshynski

Existing buildings have a lot going for them. They are often conveniently located and they may offer more room for lease negotiation. However, an existing building means tenants must make adjustments to fit into it. If the building in question is a heritage building, there are further pros and cons to the choice. Does the building allow for the kind of technological infrastructure required in today’s businesses? Is the space flexible enough to suit the new ways employees work in the 21^st century? Are there strict rules about what can be done to the interior to make it workable?

For landlords, an existing building offers similar benefits and compromises. The location may be attractive and it may already have tenants in place, but how do you attract and keep the best tenants? What’s the best way to update the infrastructure for their needs? And in the case of a landlord owning a heritage building, how do you balance the needs of history with the needs of today’s tenants?

One answer to making an existing building an excellent choice is to build-out the office space using entirely modular elements. Start with the raw, warm shell then add everything from plug-and-play power and data to modular walls to furniture. This can create a contemporary, unique workplace without compromise. New solutions in this industry mean better customization for the end-user and a higher level of integration with the base building — without damage. Today’s modular walls have adaptable, non-damaging connections that allow intersection with the older base building. These flexible elements may also provide the tenant with the ability to grow, without having to lease extra real estate. Companies can also move in faster, as modular interiors are designed, specified and ordered during the base building retrofit – saving substantial time in the construction timeline.

Start by performing an extensive lifecycle cost analysis to clarify your company’s agility requirements. Complete a two-to-five year post analysis of money previously spent on interior moves, additions and changes, then evaluate the total expenditure for data and electrical work over the same period of time.

Complete a full budget evaluation of movable walls, plug-and-play data and electrical needs based on your initial space plan prior to proceeding with working drawings/mechanical electrical drawings and specifications. This will save both time and costly duplication of work. Some modular interior manufacturers provide a cost comparison between the initial cost of standard construction and modular construction.

Work with an architectural movable wall product that is parametric in design. This allows for customization to reflect the exact needs of the tenant, rather than trying to fit a pre-set manufactured panel system into the space. Plus, a parametric wall also fits exactly to the building module. This is particularly important for existing spaces, as there is often little that can be done to the base building to properly accommodate a manufacturer’s standard offering.

Another question to ask of the wall manufacturer is if their system is ‘product neutral.’ Does it support any manufacturer’s furniture and technology in or on the walls, such as TV monitors, speakers and interactive screens? This function allows tenants to re-use any of their legacy furniture, fixtures and equipment in the new space. For the plug-and-play power/data elements, it is important to find out if the components are suitable for ceiling and/or floor installation. Some are only appropriate for raised floor applications and some are only available in a zone box design, which is much more expensive than quick-connect splitters daisy-chained from the electrical box to the end-user outlets. Another tip for your electrical flexibility is to specify two or four-gang boxes. By specifying one empty section, you can accommodate future electrical or data requirements. (Ensure the box has movable metal septum.)

Approach the evaluation of existing space in a holistic approach. Study how both the physical and psychological factors impact the workplace and people. When reviewing the base building, ask questions. Does it offer access to natural light? What is the air quality like? How are the acoustics? What are your options for lighting in your space? Bring in an expert to inspect the mechanical, HVAC and electrical in the building.

If there are issues with any of these, the space may still work. If views and daylight are limited to one side of the space, put the private offices and closed rooms farthest away and add glass fronts. Leave the space closest to the window as open plan. If acoustics are not adequate for speech privacy, there are several methods to improve it, such as high-performance ceiling tiles or sound masking (this technology has seen radical improvements from its early days of ‘white noise’).

Finally, depending on how important your physical space is to your company’s brand, you can be on the lookout for existing buildings already outfitted with a modular interior. Work with your broker and design professional to find second generation building spaces with in-place Tenant Improvements similar to your needs. As long as they can be reconfigured to suit your particular needs and there is an option to replace or repaint surface tiles, this may be the most affordable answer for you.

Gail Tyshynski – Sr. Interior Designer & Regional Manager, DIRTT Environmental Solutions

Tags: Built Space, Heritage Building, lease space, Modular Interiors

This entry was posted on Friday, December 9th, 2011 at 9:45 pm and is filed under Interior Design, Leasing Space. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.