Department Of Transportation Office

Queens, New York

New York City’s Department of Transportation’s full-floor office in Long Island City was in dire need of overhaul—it was dreary, noisy space with an awkward layout and inadequate air circulation. The 25,000-square-foot office is on the seventh floor of a converted, industrial warehouse purchased by the city in the early 70s.

 

With minimal structural interventions, a complete refurbishment transformed the interior into a bright, open office that embraces wellness, sustainability and accessibility. Upon arrival, visitors recognize the entire floor as a single, dynamic workplace. Directly in front of the reception is the main east-west axis and the visually appealing design resource area with low worktables and credenzas. Unencumbered sightlines through the office provide immediate orientation and establish a strong sense of place. With glass partitions and low workstation dividers, daylight penetrates deep into the floorplate. The nonhierarchical design eliminates corner offices, and an open circulation path conveniently circumvents the perimeter with shared, collaborative work areas.

  • Because of the addition of an annex tower, the c. 1911 building’s rectangular floorplates became an L formation in 1953. The two zones were separated by a wall with a narrow doorway isolating the annex portion. We united the floor with new penetrations to improve the office’s cohesion and circulation. Removing a drop ceiling reclaimed three feet of height, creating a sense of openness and improving daylighting.

    Programmatic analysis guided the best modular seating arrangement for the 163 workstations that are organized by department to foster communication, collaboration and team building. Ten glass-enclosed conference rooms of varying sizes anchor the spine of the floor, along with four call booths. Biophilic elements layer organic richness and warmth, including wood-enclosed workstations, and lighting is programmed on a circadian rhythm to mimic natural light and reduce the need for artificial lighting. Felt acoustical tiles on the ceiling and carpet in the cubical bays and conference rooms help absorb sound.

    Sustainability was foremost in the design, including embodying active design principles and the use of recycled and low-emitting materials. Off the building’s two elevators, the visibility of the bike storage area, including a changing stall, cubbies and two showers, promotes biking and neatens the overall workspace. A new variant refrigerant enclosed system was installed for energy efficiency with new filters to optimize indoor air quality. The office’s kitchen and pantry connect to a lounge for dining and relaxation. Bathrooms are gendered and gender-neutral and utilize low-flow plumbing. Shared amenity space provides a mothers’/wellness and meditation/prayer rooms.

    The building is located across from the two-level Queensboro subway station with its elevated tracks. Most recently, the seventh floor was home to four departments of the DOT’s Traffic Planning and Management Division and the Office of Emergency Management’s SIM Communications Center.