Herman Miller's 7,000-square-foot Convia Showroom is a working office/showroom for an innovative wireless-control product, which represents an entirely new and improved approach to electrical delivery. This high-performance space, designed by the architecture and design firm OWP/P, includes workstations for 15 staff, conference areas, informal lounge spaces, a bar/kitchen area, a mezzanine gallery, and an equipment test lab.
The primary challenge for the design team was organizing and engineering the systems to support the varied spaces in a very tight showroom. Early in the design process it became apparent that a mezzanine level would need to be built to provide a vantage point within the showroom to view the Convia product from above. This mezzanine, captured as an arresting, singular form, also creates a divider between the open work environment and the enclosed support spaces.
A notable success was the incorporation of the Convia aesthetic and Herman Miller brand into the design. The space evokes a sense of motion and dynamic fluidity, similar to the Convia product-the infrared "wand." The red Herman Miller corporate color and its workstation product lines are prominently showcased throughout the space, effectively branding the showroom.
Convia reduces energy use by simply and cost-effectively allowing for zoned electrical, adaptive dimming, and unlimited modifications in the positioning and configurations of sensors. Studies conducted by third-party energy experts show that Convia can very inexpensively reduce overall power consumption in a building by 30 percent.
The project earned LEED-CI Gold from the USGBC and employs the following sustainable design features:
SUSTAINABLE SITES:
Near public transportation
Shower to encourage bicycling to work
Bike storage
Parking availability for van and carpools
WATER EFFICIENCY:
ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE:
Daylight harvesting and controllability
Energy Star appliances
Occupancy sensors provided in enclosed rooms
Integration of a pioneering software program to measure energy utilization and relay translated cost savings with use of Convia product in the space
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:
Recycled content of product up to 20 percent
Use of regionally manufactured materials
Resource reuse (30 percent of furniture)
Low-VOC emitting materials
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY:
Raised-floor air plenum allows for individual control and minimizes office balancing needs
Window shades to control LED and daylight sensors
Lighting levels are set lower to minimize overall energy consumption with the opportunity for individuals to control light in lamps and fixtures in their own workspace
Maximized natural daylighting and skylighting for general illumination
Sensors in task chairs that adjust light levels, window shades, etc., to personal preferences associated with individual work settings
The red Herman Miller corporate color and its product lines are prominently showcased throughout the space, effectively branding the showroom. (larger image)