Architect Paul K. Gartelmann specified Vivo workstations, in part, for the design flexibility the system provides. Tiles attach to the frames, allowing variety and control of the design and function of individual frames. Walls are from 35 to 79 inches, accommodating different levels of privacy, and tiles are available in numerous colors and materials, including glass, laminate, veneer, and textiles.
D esigned by industrial designer Douglas Ball, the Vivo Interiors frame-and-tile workstation system is manufactured according to Herman Miller’s cradle-to-cradle protocol and is Greenguard certified, helping achieve LEED credits. All trim, supports, and storage components are powder coated, eliminating VOCs. Other green features include water-based stains, wood harvested from managed forest resources, and textiles made from 100%-recycled polyester. Vivo components fit together precisely to minimize waste, and its universal connectors can be used—and reused—in two-, three-, and four-way configurations.
Paul K. Gartelmann, associate with William F. Collins, AIA Architects, Setauket, N.Y., specified the Vivo system for the new KeySpan Energy offices in Melville, N.Y. The project, which was completed in January 2007, involved gutting and rehabbing an 111,000-sf structure to provide office and technical education space for the utility company. Vivo workstations occupy the shared services areas of the building, which make up about 70,000 sf.
Why Paul Gartelmann specified Vivo for the KeySpan office:
“The client liked Vivo because it’s comfortable, flexible, and it met their price point. It offers a mid-range price level and an upscale appearance.”
“It’s also green, meeting the client’s goal of creating a healthy, productive work environment. Vivo contains 36% recycled content (14% post-consumer and 22% pre-consumer), and almost the entire system can be recycled at the end of its useful life.”
“The system provides a good amount of storage, which was a key requirement since KeySpan was consolidating employees from multiple offices that were collectively much larger than 70,000 square feet.”