Morrison & Foerster

After renewing their lease, Morrison & Foerster LLP decided to bring its office space up to the same standards of innovation and excellence that it achieves in its high-profile practice groups. The resulting design not only connects and unifies the space, but also offers a striking new image for the firm and a state-of-the-art conference center that serves as the venue for interaction among top leaders.

At the heart of the renovation is the conference center, providing a total of 20 rooms as well as several flexible breakout spaces.

The centerpiece of the design is a four-story stone and glass feature wall, accompanied by 3 staircases that connect on all floors. The feature wall serves as the visual landmark of the space and the hub for interaction among groups. We used split-face Jerusalem limestone tiles arranged in a vertical running bond pattern to emphasize the height and verticality of this 4-story element. Then, contrasting the stone and lightening the overall effect of the wall, a series of glass panels were introduced and suspended off of the stone by a framework of finely crafted stainless steel supports.

The front side of the wall, which faces the elevator lobbies and reception areas, features a formal monumental staircase with honed limestone treads that hover over sawtooth-style stainless steel stringers. The back side of the wall, by contrast, features two carpeted staircases which are secured for in-house use and feature a different lighting treatment.

This project was completed under the firm name Mancini Duffy/Winstanley.