HOK undertakes legal job at DLA Piper's midtown offices.

The New York office of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum is designing the offices of global law firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary U. S. LLP (DLA Piper) at 1251 Ave. of the Americas. The project will entail the design of the firm's expansion to the 27th floor of the building and a renovation of its existing space on the 28th floor.

The firm also occupies the entire 29th and 45th floors and parts of the 38th and 41st floors, resulting in a substantial presence of 188,000 s/f in the building.

HOK's plans call for a new design for the 27th floor, including a new reception area and the introduction of a coffee and cappuccino bar on the 28th floor as a welcoming amenity for visitors and staff. There will be an upgrade to the standard administrative workstations, improvements to the overall lighting and new carpeting. A new color palette will be introduced to tie the existing and expansion spaces in a more cohesive overall scheme. The existing connecting stair between the 28th and 29th floors will be extended to the 27th floor.

Rick Focke, director of design with HOK New York, noted, "Our goal is to bring the image of DLA Piper's New York offices up to a level that reflects its standing as one of the largest and most respected global law firms. The New York office is an international 'portal,' with visitors from all over the world, so we're creating an exciting and forward-thinking planning and design concept to support that image."