Modernization of Law firm's interior wins award.

The design of Shipman & Goodwin's new office, which includes a penthouse conference area, was recently honored by the American Institute of Architects Connecticut Design Committee.

The inaugural award recognizes architecture that helps a business achieve its strategic goals. For Shipman & Goodwin, those goals include business development, recruiting and training, and fostering a collegial staff atmosphere.

"We are already becoming the meeting venue of choice," said John E. Kreitler, a partner at Shipman & Goodwin who served as the chairperson of the relocation and design committee. "We wanted to make the space distinctive and special - perhaps even memorable--and we think we succeeded."

The project's architects, Amenta/Emma, won the Business Architecture Award for the design of the firm's 110,000 s/f office at One Constitution Plaza in Hartford. Shipman & Goodwin relocated from the Phoenix Building.

"Our professional objective was to find a way to improve the bottom line through office design," said Anthony Amenta, president of Amenta/Emma, who led the project.

The design has also won raves for its visual appeal and for updating the image of Shipman & Goodwin, which was founded in 1919.

"Gray and staid are gone!" said Kreitler. "Our offices reflect a colorful, modern and progressive feeling."

The office space, which accommodates 130 lawyers and a nearly equal number of paralegals and support staff, includes the 20th floor Conference Center with open reception hall, bar area, catering kitchen and the elegant Judge Day Courtroom; the 4th-floor cafe and adjoining outside rooftop patio; conference rooms with computer-controlled video/audio conferencing capabilities; and "magnet" spaces on each floor to facilitate professional collaboration and socialization.

Kreitler said Shipman and Goodwin began the process by identifying critical design objectives that reflected the firm's business strategy, core values and culture of success and excellence. Those objectives included: business development, including making the public spaces as inviting and accommodating as possible for client meetings, trade and professional organizations, non-profit groups, and seminars; recruitment and training of new lawyers with state-of-the-art training facilities and technology capabilities; and the creation of a collaborative and collegial atmosphere.

Kreitler credited Amenta/Emma with helping the firm realize its goals. "The art is to translate these business objectives into a successful design within the limitations of the skeletal space," said Kreitler. "We believe Amenta/Emma did a superb job with measurable results, qualitative and quantitative, as to each of the business objectives."

Amenta said the process was very collaborative and that Shipman & Goodwin was a great client, offering ideas and feedback throughout the process.

"The finished office had a transforming effect on the client," said Amenta. "When you feel good about where you work or where you conduct business, your work product, creative problem-solving skills, and productivity improve."

Jurors were equally enthusiastic, writing: "This project 'gets it.' It is highly effective at maximizing the potential of the work environment in support of client growth, employee training and retention as well as the socialization with just the right balance of design. The materials are appropriate to portray a long-successful law practice. The forward-looking design, clean and contemporary, suggests that this venerable law firm is not mired in the past."