COLLABORATING WITH STUDENTS & STAFF TO MAKE OFFICE INTERIOR DESIGN IDEAS COME TO LIFE
The College of Alameda, a public community college, first opened its doors in 1968. Today, they host 1,205 undergraduate students on their 62-acre campus in Alameda, California. Interior Motions collaborated with Noll & Tam to provide interior design services and furniture for their New Center for Liberal Arts Building following our successful response to the Peralta Community College District’s Request for Proposals in June 2019. Our work resulted in a beautiful 3 floor, 58,000 square foot building with public social areas, faculty offices, art studios and labs, and outdoor seating areas. How did we accomplish this? Our experienced, passionate team interviewed campus stakeholders to ensure our designs incorporated what was meaningful to them.
The College of Alameda furnished their buildings beautifully—but that was back in the 70s. They came to us with a goal to update their furniture and form a more modern, unified design that supported a “flexible and innovative modern learning environment.”
Our Solution:
The Interior Motions team went from department to department, interviewing faculty, staff, and students to determine the specific needs and desires for campus decor. We wanted to make sure that we got input from the people who would be most impacted by our design suggestions. During the mock-up, we even brought in furniture for students and teachers to “test-drive” before offering a survey to gauge public sentiment. Once we settled on a design, our team worked hard to implement every detail—from outfitting the art department with customized brush space to implementing built-in storage solutions for the apparel department’s cutting fabric and dress forms.
The Outcome:
By directly involving staff and students in the interior design process, our team and partnership with Noll & Tam led to a space that satisfied a wide variety of needs. This successful project set the tone for all other campus buildings to be modeled after.
HERE’S WHAT ERIN GRIFFIN, THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGER, HAD TO SAY ABOUT OUR WORK:
Interior Motions played an integral role in bringing the future of education design to the New Center for Liberal Arts at the College of Alameda. This project was the first new building construction on campus since the 1970s, so it was important to campus leadership that the building was designed to meet the needs of its students, faculty, and administrators, while providing flexibility for future instruction. With many unique departmental design requirements, a large office suite, and the excitement around finally having a modernized facility, this project had many special accommodations to consider. The Interior Motions team was inspired by the mission behind this building, and it was apparent with the level of attention they gave the client. Their ability to adapt, to listen, and to ultimately produce a final solution that the campus was proud of speaks to their excellent attention to detail and to the appreciation they have for educators and for creating spaces to engage students. They made my client very happy and made my job as the Construction Project Manager easier. I look forward to working with Interior Motions on future projects, as I have 100% trust in their expertise and ability to get the job done right, while also making the work fun and rewarding.
Reach Out to Discuss Your Next Office Project
Contact Interior Motions for office interior design suited to your company’s specific style. Call 510-653-6100, contact@interiormotions.com, or fill out the form below.
