Ann Hoffman of FCA On How To Design Office Spaces That People Love To Work In
Use Warmer Colors: Since the pandemic, people are starving for color and a feeling of richness. From 2010 to 2020, we saw a continued trend of bright white office spaces that often left a more “clinical” feel (a response to clearing the clutter and replacing it with technology). Now, we’re shifting back towards hospitality-influence and warmer colors, making the spaces feel not only richer in substance but more user-friendly.
As a part of our series called “How To Design Office Spaces That People Love To Work In”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Ann Hoffman, IIDA, LEED AP, Director of Workplace Strategies at FCA.
Specializing in interior strategies and strategic planning for the corporate built environment, Ann’s focus is on the client’s needs, interactions, and vision. Ann’s work as a facilities manager, retail planner, and period designer brings a depth of understanding to design challenges. As a project leader, her experience includes master planning for a 73-building site, strategic planning for a ten-year rollout of capital improvements, Corporate Standards Programs for pharmaceutical, legal, and finance entities, and workplace protocols for Fortune 500 companies. Her work includes design projects in India and Morocco. She is highly respected by her clients and staff for being a leader and an innovative problem solver.
Thank you so much for joining us in this series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I come from a very large family, and knew that I had to pursue a career in order to forge my own path forward. One day, when I was panicking during my senior year of high school, I searched for what it is I loved and I woke up and decided that I wanted to become a designer — it was like divine intervention. In my small town, I didn’t have meaningful access to design, which made me anxious. But as soon as I started school I knew this was the right path for me. Put simply, I set out to decorate the world.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
After getting my degree, I ended up taking a job related to the course I was the worst at — drafting. I knew that if I wanted to have a chance of making it in the industry, I needed to improve my technical skills. My career began by drafting health food stores across the country for GNC, before I moved into the high-end residential sector. I was able to build a career for myself now using my strong technical skills, by working on residential detailing and drawings for strict period structures and interiors. I got to educate myself on all the French periods, spending time doing historical research. I had a job that no one even knew existed, designing the small details like hardware, hinges, doors, and sinks, and I loved it. These experiences largely helped to shape my career, but I eventually made the transition to corporate work for more structure, where I’ve been ever since.
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting and a lesson you learned from that?
While this isn’t necessarily a “mistake,” I started my career in commercial design knowing nothing about the corporate design world, having come straight from the residential sector. When I started my new role, I was given a large project for a top financial institution in the country, which required me to design and reposition workstations within their office space. I tried to soak up information like a sponge, scoured furniture catalogs, and came up with a list of questions that I took to this client’s account manager at the local dealership. When I started asking questions, I could tell by the look on the account manager’s face that it was basic knowledge. He told me that he couldn’t believe they hired someone as inexperienced and incapable as me… and I said, “Me either!” But I was there to learn, and ironically, the client hired me to work in house and that same account manager ended up working for me a little over a year later. In my first corporate project I ended up unknowingly designing my own office. I’d say my naivete in this instance was a “mistake”, but asking the wrong questions inevitably led me to the right outcomes.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
While this is not very zen, one of my favorite quotes is “You can’t always get what you want, but you get what you need” from Mick Jagger. It reminds me to pursue solutions that will give the best possible outcomes, without getting caught up in the pursuit of perfection (there’s no such thing). Otherwise, you’re doomed to fail.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I owned my own business for 12 years and a friend in marketing acted as a close confidant throughout the entire journey — she was always a phone call away whenever I was struggling, and helped steer me in the right direction while encouraging me to remain resilient. Giving me the one nugget of insight to build on for my next steps. Business can be hard when you’re working to build your clientele, and I would have really struggled without her support.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
One of the most inspiring projects I’ve worked on recently is the redesign of my firm FCA’s headquarters in Philadelphia. Our team had the chance to utilize the skills and tools that we’ve developed working on commercial projects across the United States, as well as the support, knowledge, and participation of our entire staff. We were our own best client ever. Working closely together, I helped steer the team to ensure there was nothing within the project without a strong purpose. The result is a purpose-driven space that has improved quality of life for our staff, reigniting a greater sense of excitement to come into the office and at the end of day, not feeling exhausted when they leave.
What are your “Five Things You Should Do To Design Office Spaces That People Love To Work In” and why.
- Focus on the Details: It’s important that your design work covers not only a broad sweep, but that you focus on the details and minute touches that truly elevate a space to the next level. incorporating these elements, along with adjustable options for user control, creates a more intimate workplace that feels responsive to the needs of its users. Neurologically, it’s like a drop of dopamine when you take control of the details of a space to create the setting you want, especially in an era where people are used to their workplace being their home environment.
- Pay Attention To Sightlines: It’s part of the human condition, specifically known as prospect-refuge theory, that we’re hardwired to prefer spaces in which we can clearly see our surroundings without feeling exposed. Although this is often a subliminal tendency, it’s the reason people will gravitate toward the corner of a room, avoiding spaces in which their back is to the door or prefer a booth over a table. Designers need to think about these high-level space considerations, and focus on the psychological aspect of design to determine ways in which to decrease that feeling of vulnerability for occupants.
- Use Warmer Colors: Since the pandemic, people are starving for color and a feeling of richness. From 2010 to 2020, we saw a continued trend of bright white office spaces that often left a more “clinical” feel (a response to clearing the clutter and replacing it with technology). Now, we’re shifting back towards hospitality-influence and warmer colors, making the spaces feel not only richer in substance but more user-friendly.
- Prioritize Acoustics: As designers, it’s important to consider the way that sound travels in office spaces. Incorporating soft textures and other workable finishes with texture helps soften the space when it comes to noise, creating a more calm and productive work environment. As teams have gotten used to pandemic-era isolation, workers are far more cognizant of the sounds around them at any given time.
- Aim for Comfort & Promote User Control: The growing importance of flexible and adaptable work environments cannot be understated, and it’s more important than ever to provide comfortable spaces that serve dual purposes, for work, relaxation, and collaboration. These options allow people to work away from their desks, and provide opportunities for both formal and casual collaboration. They are the spaces people want to use.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I believe we all need more empathy and curiosity, which go hand in hand. During the pandemic, there was “empathy burnout” from everything we saw happening in the news. Since then, we’ve been disconnected to the point that empathy is not there. As a designer, empathy is what allows me to put myself in someone else’s position, determining how best to help them and give them what they need to thrive. Empathy is the basis of “design thinking”. Once you have empathy, curiosity follows. I start to wonder ‘what are the opportunities to help or improve that person’s life.’ While this is essential to my role in design, I believe it’s equally important for creating a kind, healthy society overall.
Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
Although I’d be incredibly intimidated, I’d have to say one of my favorite designers — Jaime Hayon. He’s a brilliant Spanish designer (also artist, fabricator, and ceramicist) who creates the most beautiful work and has incredible curiosity. He sees design in everything, and is determined to do away with the boring. His designs are full of whimsy, which I believe we don’t have enough of in corporate environments. I am greatly inspired by him and his art.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Ann Hoffman — Work Design Magazine
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
