Unispace, a global leader in strategy, design and construction, recently unveiled a new, art-filled downtown Los Angeles office for the global law firm Orrick. Unispace was tasked with the strategy, design and construction of a new space that would reflect Orrick’s culture of innovation, collaboration, and inclusion. Through Unispace’s ‘Art for Impact’ (AFI)program, which aims to connect businesses, artists and nonprofits in new and creative ways, the law firm was paired with Robert Vargas, an iconic Los Angeles-based contemporary artist.
Vargas painted an original mural in Orrick’s new office to reflect Orrick’s deep partnership with the nonprofit A New Way of Life (ANWOL), which provides housing, case management, pro-bono legal services, advocacy and leadership development for the formerly incarcerated. Orrick has supported ANWOL’s mission for the past two years by providing them with a full-time Racial Justice Fellow, who performs pro-bono legal services to advance their mission to reunite previously incarcerated mothers with their children and establish themselves on a self-sustaining path.
Located at 355 S Grand Avenue,the new 26,000-square-foot office roots the law firm firmly downtown and sets an example for what the future of the workplace in the Los Angeles central business district could look like post-pandemic.
Orrick was looking to incorporate innovative approaches to its office design that would fit the future of work while celebrating and empowering its Los Angeles team. Unispace interviewed Orrick attorneys and staff and designed an industry-leading hybrid working solution catered to the ways in which teams want to work. To reflect Orrick’s culture of collaboration, innovation, inclusion and community involvement, Unispace focused on creating a space to support employees while also making a positive community impact. The new office features, in addition to the specially commissioned Vargas mural, a curated gallery of work from local diverse artists.
“In this space, we are intentionally using artwork to capture Orrick’s commitment to inclusion as a primary component of design – not as an afterthought,” said Chely Wright, Chief Diversity Officer at Unispace. “We wanted to create a space in which the Orrick team and Orrick’s clients could see themselves and their community reflected in their surroundings, and Robert Vargas’ work is representative of the diverse population of downtown Los Angeles.”
“It’s exciting to connect businesses to nonprofits in a new way, which goes beyond simply writing a check,” said Wright. “At Unispace, our goal with AFI is to create a sustainable ecosystem of engagement between nonprofits, artists and corporations. This project is reflective of that.”
The new office provides Orrick’s Los Angeles-based team of 100 with suite-like open collaboration areas and a multi-use café space designed for socialization, teamwork and all-hands meetings. By incorporating single-size offices, new ideas like micro-offices, new community work areas, and embracing hoteling to reflect the new hybrid work style, Orrick was able to reduce its footprint by approximately 60%. Orrick is pursuing LEED and WELL GOLD certifications to reflect their commitment to wellbeing and sustainability. The reception area, designed for hosting events, is anchored by Vargas’ large scale, original murals, featuring Susan Burton from a New Way of Life, entitled “The Power of a Second Chance” and “It’s All About Love.”
“We are delighted to be working out of this inspiring space,” said Alyssa Caridis, Deputy Leader of Orrick’s globalIntellectual Property practice, who led the Los Angeles office design project. “The Unispace team did an incredible job of joining the vibrant culture of the city we love with our culture and values, and provided the amenities, tools and collaborative space our hybrid team needs to deliver the best results for our clients.”
About Orrick
Orrick is a global law firm focused on serving the technology & innovation, energy & infrastructure and finance sectors. Founded more than 150 years ago in San Francisco, Orrick today has offices in 25+ markets worldwide. In each of the past seven years, Financial Times has named the firm among the top 3 most innovative law firms and Fortune has named Orrick to its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For seven times and twice in the top 15, including in 2022.
About Unispace
Unispace is a global strategy, design, and construction leader creating people-centric spaces for a rapidly changing world. Unispace world-class strategists, designers, and builders work together as one single, unified team. Our goal: create spaces that spark brilliance, deepen connections, foster a sense of belonging and propel success. Learn more: www.unispace.com
