A renovation for collaboration

Our philosophy at BR is simple: We thrive because of our people and our ideas. And we’ll be the first to admit that thinking creatively while sitting at a closed-off desk is like trying to breathe fresh air in a stuffy airplane cabin. Having surpassed the 200-employee mark, we decided to enhance our space and recently remodeled our creative wing.

We renovated to juice collaboration, brainstorming and inventive approaches to getting work done. We wanted art directors and copywriters swapping ideas while sharing the latest blends at our new coffee bar or hammering out a great new concept while kicking back in the new lounge. Put simply, we wanted our creative teams to communicate more easily and quickly than their previous workstations allowed.

Now our teams embrace the kind of closeness that allows neighbors to toss around fresh ideas as easily as spare sticky notes. And since digital is ubiquitous here, our creative and digital-focused associates intermingle in one area. In fact, it’s not unusual to see them mixing at our new tech center, where they can compare ideas on their iPad devices or laptops through larger digital monitors.

Oh, and gone are the days of traipsing up and down flights of stairs to locate an available meeting room. New teaming areas invite even the most spontaneous meetings. Additionally, small quiet rooms offer an escape from the collaborative space should a task require a little extra focus.

Our hope is that this renovated space will give our teams the physical and creative freedom and flexibility they need.

We’re proud of the new space and excited to show it off. Browse our photos below to see some of the before and after shots.

Want to see more collaborative workspaces? Check out this Harvard Business Review slideshow that includes facts about collaborative work environments with before and after photos. And if hammocks and bean bag chairs are more your thing, this Mashable slideshow shows off digital agency spaces that are made for creative thinking.

Of course, our creative space wouldn’t be complete without a coffee bar!