Robert Puleo, director of interiors at McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Inc. in Irvine, Calif. --whose work on the project won Patcraft Carpet’s coveted Chandler Award for design excellence -- envisioned a synthesis of traditional cubicle planning and three-dimensional look that would complement the space. He orchestrated a multi-faceted approach that included coordination with lighting and other critical design features, which skilled professionals developed.

The extent to which dTank collaborates with architects for a more strategic approach is unique in the commercial office-furniture arena.

Says Puleo: “I’ve worked on projects with major furniture manufacturers, one of which designed our furnishings four years ago from more than 115 specials on the project. That company adapted its standard product for our own offices four years ago to fit our specific design needs in terms of furnishings and fittings. It was very difficult and strenuous, costing quite a bit of time and money. It also was like trying to fit a circular peg into a square hole. But with dTank, you’re starting from ground zero and designing a custom product from the get-go vs. starting with something and trying to force it.”

After initially approaching dTank with his design concept, Puleo hit on a winning formula – the result of refining key elements from four or five 3D sketches and material samples, so everything made sense within the confines of a tight budget and timetable. An office-section mockup offered Sammy executives a glimpse at the engaging final design.

Because the architecture and furnishings were designed simultaneously, Puleo and his team were able to focus on their core competencies, speed the project’s completion and secure substantial savings for the client. He lauds dTank for providing his firm with seamless communications throughout the project’s duration.

Wood-grained laminate open workstations with an off-white finish helped anchor the converted warehouse office space with 30-foot ceilings – a voluminous scale that would have engulfed conventional office furnishings. “I didn’t want there to be a strong contrast between standard office furnishings and an innovative design that would use interesting materials, bold forms and colors,” explains Puleo.

In a tribute to the appropriateness of this design approach, the workstations that Sammy decided to replicate for its Sherman Oaks, Calif., office with standard ceilings appeared overwhelming, according to Puleo. “That was actually a testament to the strength of dTank, which understands the relationship of the furniture relative to the space it’s filling,” he observes. “If dTank was given free reign in this office, the firm would have come up with a unique solution as well.”