The Nexus team had been occupying a Capitol Hill mansion for 20 years. The charm and home-like vibe was a company staple, but the compartmentalized spaces serving as their offices and conference rooms proved to be too disjointed for the needs of the tight-knit workforce. We initially developed programming and conceptual schemes for the mansion, which included a major face lift to the interiors. In the analysis of these schemes, it was determined that the proposed renovations were cost-prohibitive. More importantly, however, our project team also felt it didn’t make ethical sense to eliminate the historic interior environment to renovate the mansion. What Nexus needed was to move into a more modern office environment. This shift in scale and location posed multiple challenges – particularly, how to maintain a feeling of a “home-like” environment for employees and clientele, as well as maintain large offices and efficient storage solutions. We designed a space plan that housed all offices on the perimeter of the suite with access to abundant light and views. The storage/copy room and large conference room were located on the interior perimeter of the space. We stitched the entire suite together with a “living room” in the center of the space. This central space acts as the spine, both spatially and figuratively and greets the occupant as one rounds the corner from the main entry. We introduced neutral yet warm finishes such as carpet and rift cut white oak solid wood doors and jambs. New, residential furniture pieces added a punch of color and a residential feeling to the space. We also added accents of branding in signage, original art, and custom door pulls which incorporated reliefs of the company logo. These subtle gestures add to the warmth and personality of the company and the space they inhabit. For added emphasis on the importance of the shared communal space, we designed a ceiling canopy which not only visually unifies the space, it also culminates into a cantilevered counter at the kitchen for functionality, ingenuity and symbolism of the culture.