Confidential Holding Company

Houston, TX

A confidential international Trading and Service Company, based in the Netherlands, recently contacted Ziegler Cooper to assist them in creating a half floor, 12,000 s.f. office for their North American headquarters in Houston Texas. With the efforts of Jones Lang LaSalle the team was able to find a location boasting wonderful views from Memorial City Plaza. The client’s challenge to the design team was to create a space that respected the open European style, while incorporating a Houston executive feel. This would allow the company to maintain constancy with its European values, as well as recruit and retain local talent.

The use of Teknion demountable wall systems with sliding glass doors provides a similar atmosphere to the European headquarters. Low glass panels at workstations enhance the open collaborative space. Wood tones were used throughout the space to warm the hard services of the glass and white walls, creating harmony. Balancing the transparency of the European culture with the confidentiality of an executive space was achieved through placement of a wood veneer slat wall between the employee lounge and client reception area. In addition, privacy glass was installed between the boardroom and reception in order to maintain the panoramic view from the lobby. With the touch of a button the glass will change from clear to opaque to give complete visual privacy when needed.