Extra! Extra!
Check out some recent press featuring Eastlake projects and principals! #humblebrag
"Big Moves," in AIA's Chicago Architect, Summer 2018, chronicling our studio's relocation from Tribune Tower to 333 N. Michigan Avenue.
"Office Napping Climbs Out from Under the Desk..." Chicago Tribune, July 5, 2018.
Eastlake Studio, a Chicago architecture and interior design firm that works both with office buildings and individual tenants, is seeing increased demand for designated quiet spaces where napping is a contemplated use.
“They’re just looking for places where people can go get re-energized,” said Tom Zurowski, founding principal of Eastlake. “Certainly that need to just get away from all the noise and maybe take a nap is one of the options they want to provide.”
Zurowski said Eastlake is installing everything from multipurpose relaxation areas to a meditation room for clients. While his firm has yet to create a designated napping room with a bed, spaces with couches, recliners and even massage chairs are intended to help employees throttle down.
IIDA and Contract Magazine's 23rd annual Showroom and Booth Design Competition at NeoCon Announcement, Contract, June 11, 2018. Designer/Principal Christina Brown served on the jury for these award.
"Gearing Up for Growth," Interiors + Sources May 2018 cover story, featuring our design for Activecampaign's headquarters.
Flexibility Survey, Crain's Chicago Business, March 8, 2018.
The dismantlement of the 9-to-5 culture may be unfolding slowly in Chicago, but there's one area that has felt the impact already—office design. Tom Zurowski is the founding principal of Chicago-based Eastlake Studio, which has designed offices for the likes of streaming music site Pandora, Levy Family Restaurants, PR firm Cision and Kimberly-Clark. The physical layout of the local office has changed radically in the past five years, with flexibility driving some of the dominant trends.
In fact, the end of days for assigned desks may soon be nigh. More CEOs are asking Zurowski's 24-person firm to design such features as a bank of desks that anyone can use when they're in the office—a practice called "hoteling." Employees, meanwhile, tell designers they want to work untethered with mobile phones and laptops, so there's demand for a menu of workspaces: small cafes, one- or two-person phone booths, cozy libraries, "huddle rooms" (translation: small conference rooms for four to six people), nook areas with stylish furniture. One increasingly popular feature of the Chicago office layout is a bank of lockers where itinerant workers can store important papers, changes of shoes and favorite coffee mugs.
"There's still an importance of people being around each other—that's what builds culture," Zurowski says.
"Our Swanky New Chicago Tribune Newsroom and Office, Randi with an I, July 18, 2018. A digital editor for the Tribune reviews her new workplace after the newspaper and publishing company's historic move from Tribune Tower.
The designers really took our publication’s storied history into consideration when decorating the space. We have tables made from old press plates, framed editorial cartoons, large brass recreations of historic fronts and some furniture — including our editorial board table — from the tower. They even decorated our private entrance with modern versions of some of the quotes from Tribune Tower’s lobby...
I really wish I could do this space justice, but photos really can’t capture how fantastic it is.
Last Show in the Tower, Nocturnal Journal, WGN Radio, June 17, 2018. Tom Zurowski talks to host Dave Hoekstra about Eastlake's relationship through the years to the Chicago Tribune and Tribune Tower.
"ActiveCampaign's Employee-centric HQ in Chicago," WorkDesign Magazine, April 11, 2018.
"Peek Inside of Chicago's Hottest Tech Offices," Built in Chicago, January 22, 2018, featuring ActiveCampain.
"Spotted on Instagram: 12 Black & White Spaces," Interior Design, March 27, 2018. ActiveCampaign's perforated metal reception desk.
