Maximized Space, Workflow and Fun: Modern Renovation Matches Company Vision

Oriental Trading Company’s original office space felt far removed from their company vision: "To make the world more fun." HDR was engaged to rethink Oriental Trading Company’s office environment at the Ralston facility to better embody the brand, support departmental workflow and allocate space more efficiently.

In the existing space, tall cubicles and dim lighting made travel through the office disorienting and forced many departments into silos, limiting opportunities for collaboration. Without designated spaces for informal collaboration and inadequate conference rooms, scheduling meetings was particularly difficult. Lacking space, the IT department was located remotely, which proved problematic as it required travel back and forth between facilities throughout the day.

Taking all of the spatial and functional issues into consideration, HDR worked with Oriental Trading Company leadership and departmental leads in goal setting sessions, programming interviews and workplace design workshops. Through this process, a thoughtful and effective space plan was developed. By rethinking the size and location of workstations, the building headcount was able to increase by nearly 43 percent, allowing for IT to relocate in-house. A two-story photo studio was transformed into a working café with a mezzanine called “The Highline” which connects the first and second levels and serves as a collaborative/informal meeting space.

Other workplace features include:

• Large increase in collaboration space and conference rooms
• Consolidated product storage in work areas improving efficiency
• Fun branding elements throughout space:
  colored pencil wall, Rubix’s Cube art installation, orange acoustic panels, colorful graphics, changeable displays