A commercial space, regardless of the Owner’s image, must be functional for its employees and visitors and must accommodate a wide variety of working preferences, body types, and specific building codes. The aesthetic design of the space has to define or reflect the corporate image to the public while functioning for and appealing to its regular occupants. A well designed interior can reduce employee turnover by providing a pleasing work environment. Lighting, sound attenuation, furniture, flow, and color are some of the most important elements about commercial design per employee comments. When speaking to management and stockholders, return on investment and low operating costs are usually most important. Developing a comprehensive plan that incorporates the requirements of all of the affected parties is challenging, and there are many solutions available.

Commercial Design can be broken down into several subcategories or specialties, not all of which I have had experience. While I appreciate the many challenges involved in commercial design, the code research is the critical first step that can be more time consuming than expected depending upon the county and their workload. Clear communication among the project team members is also critical, and it is commonly a weak point. Each of the trades may not understand that a small change to their own piece of the puzzle can have a fundamental impact on the materials selected for the interior finishes. Together, finishes and interior architectural details comprise the first visual impact in a completed space, yet they are generally the first thing cut during the value engineering process. A seasoned designer should be able to help the team with valuable information to maintain the aesthetic while limiting the budget. The designer, however, is not always invited to participate in the value engineering decisions, and I have seen a number of projects suffer as a result.