AKQA

Located on three floors in the historic Brewery Blocks, AKQA’s Portland headquarters features 11,600 square feet of creative office space for 60 employees. With locations around the world (in major metropolises like Paris, Tokyo, London and Berlin), AKQA was looking for an authentically Portland space to inspire the kind of creativity for which they are well known.

Prior to renovation, the lower level was a two-story volume, featuring great bones and patina. The upper level stood in stark contrast—it was a bland, Class-A office space with corporate-looking carpet tile, a lay-in acoustical ceiling and a dreary entry. GBD was tasked with removing the bland corporate office quality of the space, allowing a century of heavy use to shine through.

GBD collaborated with a local builder for handcrafted, custom-built furniture for the reception desk, a large community table, and a beautiful conference table in the historic Brewmaster Suite. The design team prioritized locally-sourced and native materials in order to reflect the unique qualities of Portland. These include new acoustical wood ceiling tiles, locally-harvested walnut, and refinished concrete flooring (left exposed).

Completed in two phases—April 2013 and November 2014—GBD designed a cohesive interior reflecting the creative culture of AKQA.