Rethinking the BDS Architects Office Space

“Timeless space” is design speak that encompasses many ideas. For BDS, we wanted an office that we would be proud of and could evolve with us for the next forty years. BDS chose to move from our Midtown space to Downtown Anchorage, which affords more opportunities to foster health and community for staff. In our previous space, walking with a colleague to go get lunch and catch up was nearly impossible due to traffic and distance. Downtown, chances to get away from your desk for a little break with co-workers abound, with walkable restaurant options and parks within a block. Additionally, we chose a building with bicycle parking and a gym to further encourage employees to take care of their physical health. Catching a breath of fresh air on the Delaney Park Strip or taking a coffee break is simply easier to do in our new Downtown location, and we believe this will translate to a physically and mentally healthy staff and an enduring appreciation for our space.

BDS carefully chose our new location to integrate timeless design qualities and future flexibility. The daylight in our new suite is incredible, with sunlight from both the south and north sides of the building. We chose the space specifically for its double exposure. Alaska daylight is a precious commodity, and our location ensures everyone has access to the sunshine. The view of the Chugach Mountains, South Anchorage, the changing weather, and the rolling clouds are a huge improvement over our previous parking lot view. Standing together at the windows admiring the mountains or watching activity on the street below has become a new office pastime.

Office Character

Once we decided on our new office location, we had to agree how we wanted to design the space. This was the toughest part of the process, but we returned again and again to our guiding principles. Most importantly, we did not want to lose our office character, and that meant allowing room for fun, both planned and spontaneous. The space should never feel old or stale, so the space must also adapt to our changing needs. Encouraging workplace community and collaboration is essential and requires movement around the office and a variety of spaces to allow discussion.

Our new workplace allows for maximum flexibility with a mixture of open and enclosed office space but prioritizes connection and transparency between all areas. We’ve allocated room for future growth, and, more importantly, created spaces where staff can take tasks away from their personal workstation and move around the office. BDS has never been a place where you’re chained to your desk, but our previous office never provided the opportunity to move around. We intentionally created places to allow for different needs and work styles, including a deep-focus room, various communal tables and sitting areas, and a spot right near the snacks at the kitchen bar.

Collaboration is the heart of design work, and the flexibility to move around the office plays a key role in fostering the BDS community. We designed our space purposely to encourage interaction and collaboration among all employees because we believe this helps staff be their most creative selves. Spontaneous design discussions can happen anywhere, and having several collaborative spaces throughout the office allows our creativity to flow in a variety of places. This is a change of pace from our last office, where space was limited and often discussions could easily become distractions for others.

Translating our existing office character into the new BDS Architects offices proved to be the easiest part of the process because, while physical characteristics reflect office culture, it is the people that create office culture. Our people are the thriving heart of BDS success. We take design seriously, but we are not serious people; our office is full of laughter, long running jokes, and occasional pranks, and we proudly consider our workplace a fun place to spend your 9 to 5. Our office reflects the value we place in collaboration, community, and moments of fun by providing spaces for those activities to occur. By design, BDS encourages movement and connection throughout the day, meaning our space is never static and always lively. We have a putting green set up in the hub of the office and a puzzle going on the kitchen table. We upgraded our tiny kitchenette to a lovely space where you don’t have to wait in line for coffee and you can sit down with colleagues to share a meal. We created spaces for gathering and spaces for a moment of mental respite, all within a light-filled and transparent office with visual connection between all employees.

Small Touches

While always keeping the big picture in mind, we also thought a lot about the small touches of character and functionality BDS needed in the new office space. Reception, so often segregated from the rest of the office, still greets visitors at the front door but is visually connected to the rest of the office with open space and birch slat wall dividers. We incorporated subtle material choices to make the reception a welcoming arrival point for everyone, and we integrated our signature BDS red circle into the pendant light fixture and custom reception desk.

Overall, our color palette is neutral and natural tones, but we incorporated BDS red in small hints all over the office space. We have wall-mounted whiteboards in the main open office, where design details can be workshopped; we plan to install others in other high-traffic spaces. Ceiling clouds and subtle material changes help define spaces, and we’ve quickly populated our space with plants to bring in a little biophilia.

The most eye-catching piece, however, is our custom mural, a collaboration with the incredibly talented Bret Connor of Hulin Alaskan Design. Connor worked with the BDS team to highlight our love of Alaska and Anchorage by perfectly blending scenes of Bush and urban life into the mural. Everyone will spot Alaska icons they know and love. Connor also integrated small items into the mural, including BDS office jokes, that almost act like an “I Spy” game. It is a focal point of our space and draws the eye from every corner of the office.

Part of our commitment to improving office life was ensuring we had the right furniture to meet everyone’s needs. Aligned AK assisted us in selecting the correct furniture to fit in the right spaces, helped educate us on the varieties of desking available, and ensured that everyone now has a powered sit/stand desk. Thanks to Aligned AK, we now have cohesive and matching furniture that truly fits the function and space of our office.

Another key partner in the success of the BDS office space was Roger Hickel Contracting, which helped us achieve our vision, worked with us when the unexpected occurred, and provided excellent craftsmanship throughout the office space. BDS has always found that great working relationships with contractors result in great projects, and our office build was no exception.

BDS has been in our new space since June 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with the decisions we made and the design we curated for ourselves. The process of choosing a space, designing our perfect office, and then having it built was a long one—but worth it. As designers, we believe the built space we inhabit every day plays a role in our health and happiness, and BDS was determined to make this evident in our own office space. We now have an office that will evolve with us for the next forty years, a place we’re proud to show off. We have space for celebrations and activities and dedicated places to foster collaboration and community. Most of all, we have an office space our people are happy to spend time in every day, and that makes it all worth it.