The Arena Grand Theater gets a new life with this renovation to house Nationwide's Innovation space, The CoOperative.
The custom designed innovation pods were designed to be flexible to accommodate a variety of work styles. A fun fact, a total of 1,304 bolts were used to make up the pods.
With the challenge of the high volume spaces left over from the theaters, a total of 685 yards of acoustic paneling products were integrated into the spaces to balance out noise levels for a more appropriate functioning workplace environment.
To foster the creative work that takes place in this innovation space it was important to provide integrated places for workers to share ideas. 7,300 square feet of white board space is incorporated into the built environment.
What was once a state of the art theater tucked into the Arena District, is now home to The CoOperative, the innovation center for Nationwide Insurance. The theater was carefully re-purposed to keep the main circulation and amenity space elements in tact to help support a smart design program for the conversion into this new workplace. Office ‘neighborhoods’ are positioned off of the town hall gathering space, which was once the hub for the theater concessions. At the lower mezzanine level, a research lab has been created with a variety of research rooms to provide different vignettes for user experience observations. One of the theaters used for private party rentals was kept intact and functions today as a cinema style conference room where teams can pitch new ideas. The upper mezzanine level is dedicated to learning and training. The high volume of space from the theaters create a unique layering of views into the office neighborhoods where creative ideas are visible at all times. Natural light has been brought in through new window openings and skylights to help illuminate the neighborhoods, which were once spaces for movie viewing.
Painting the exposed ceiling black allows for the lighting to stand out. Wall paper on the back wall acts as a shadow to the abstract tree lights. Signage on the pod roof creatively assists with wayfinding.
Formerly a dark exit corridor is now opened up to provide access to both mezzanine levels along with showcasing the unique layering of views within the high volume space.
Honoring the original intent of the building is the movie theatre-style presentation room. Patterning of the banquets adds to the playful nature of the space.
Open views from the mezzanine above provide sight lines below to the centralized gathering location. Careful integration of pops of color, playful lighting, and stylized furniture gives the office a work and play vibe.
The building hosts vaulted ceilings, which enabled the team to bring nature inside with the large windows and abstract tree lighting. On either side of the room are nooks and comfortable seating for employees.
Abstract trees act as an illuminated landmark to welcome guests into the space.
The Arena Grand Theater gets a new life with this renovation to house Nationwide's Innovation space, The CoOperative.
The 94-year-old Dispatch Building is arguably one of the most iconic structures in Downtown Columbus. Our team helped to transform the former daily newspaper headquarters — and recent addition to the Historic Register of Places — into a modern work space without losing its historic integrity.
When the Ohio Chamber of Commerce approached our team to design their new offices, they were in a unique spot. The Chamber owned their current office building, but were entertaining the idea of a move into the newly renovated, historic Dispatch Building. They loved its proximity to the Statehouse across the street, but weren’t sure if the space could fit all their needs.
About The Author
Dukyoung Lee - Architect
Since 2016 and as a founding team member of The Columbus Architectural Studio, Duk Young Lee has built a culture of exploration within the firm. The highly awarded and certified architect holds a Master’s degree, AP, BD+C certified, and is LEED awarded. It’s with Duk Young’s ambition that she has built a philosophy of purposeful design, and has fostered a keen ability to find balance between materiality, functionality, and beauty. Her handiwork can be seen all over the city such as the Dublin Park Pavilion and Grandview Crossing Office, which exemplifies her expertise in exterior design and modeling. Even outside the office, Duk Young is always exploring whether it be rock climbing, learning guitar or simply trying new coffee shops around town.