Knowing their current lease was up in 2021, MHTN Architects embarked on the design of its new studio in 2019. The space is in Salt Lake City’s historic 1923 Ford Motor Building, which was designed by acclaimed architect Albert Kahn. The firm wanted to preserve historic elements and maintain the industrial style of the building while reimagining its workspace. The firm engaged staff in numerous visioning sessions to develop the design, but when the pandemic hit, team members scattered to remote work locations. The firm’s leaders began to wonder if the original visioning and programming of the new office was still valid.
The team engaged in additional workshops and found that despite the radical change and efficiencies found in remote work, the values they wanted to incorporate into the design remained consistent. This included creating a space that provided an even balance of collaboration and professional resources and that offered an opportunity to focus while inside the office.