Blue Sky, Green Design

   Blue Sky's New York Office, Courtesy TerraMai/HOK

Blue Sky Animation Studios has produced Academy Award-winning work including movies such as Ice Age and
television programs such as The Sopranos. When it came time to design their new offices in New York, they needed a space that allowed for both creativity and productivity.  Architect HOK sought to create a colorful, playful, relaxed environment while still
facilitating maximum work-flow efficiencies, according to Sharon Paculor of HOK.

Environmental sensitivity was also a goal for the designers. In order to create texture and bring the feeling of the outdoors inside, the designers chose to use reclaimed oak paneling, which came from an old stockyard in the Midwest. The wood, which was provided by TerraMai, “showed its character with existing nail holes and worm holes. It celebrates the concept of utilizing renewed materials in an unexpected way in an office environment,” said Paculor. According to Matt Nichols of TerraMai, “one of our missions is to help designers see the possibilities of reclaimed wood in modern design.”  While one might not expect to find such a rustic material in a state-of-the-art studio in Manhattan, it successfully provides a rich contrast within a sleek space.