News + Inspiration

Modern Office Renovation for ENO

ENO, an Asheville-based company that sells hammocks and outdoor gear, had outgrown their South Slope location and approached our studio to design a modern office renovation to their newly purchased building. The building, although adequate space-wise, was severely underwhelming when it came to character and charm. The dark and unhealthy space had water damage from roof leaks, low ceilings and a maze of office partitions and outdated finishes from the 1980s. Looking past all this, we saw the bones had the potential to be transformed into a modern space filled with plenty of light and views.

Above: Exterior of the building before renovation.

ENO challenged us to take this dingy office building and turn it into a modern office space that embodied a feeling of professionalism, fun and a sense of calm. The space needed to enhance creativity, collaboration and productivity while conveying a connection to the outdoors and relaxation.

We quickly realized we needed to strip the building down to the original steel structure and exterior brick walls. Our design solution focused on daylight and included subtracting several sections of wall to create large glass openings that bring light and views to the main conference room, entry and breakroom. Large skylights were added in the open office spaces to bring lots of daylight deep into the building.

ENO also wanted to incorporate natural materials into the space, while maintaining the clean lines of a modern office environment. We started with the idea of bringing the outside in, so our solution included large planters in the open offices and using accents of maple, oak and bark siding to bring warmth to the palette. The interior spaces include a mix of closed offices, open work spaces and meeting rooms for collaboration. We designed a variety of spaces that allow for concentration and focus, as well as creativity and interaction.

Above: Entry of the building before renovation.

Being an outdoor gear company, ENO places a strong emphasis on engagement with the outdoors and wanted their office space to reflect these values. Given the building was located in the middle of an industrial park, we needed to reclaim some parking spaces to create our own oasis of outdoor spaces. The break room includes a large family style table and wall of glass that connects out to a “Zen Patio” for outdoor eating and socializing. The patio utilizes a slatted screen wall to create some privacy and buffer to the parking lot beyond and connects down to a densely planted garden area that was designed around a large maple, the only significant existing tree on the property.

We are excited about the end result and will be sharing photos of the finished space soon. This project was a great success thanks to the whole team including, ENO, Drake Fowler, landscape architect, Tony Kinch with All Seasons Landscaping, and the contractor, Casey Carmichael of Heritage Restoration.