EOP Architects recently remodeled its 5,000-square-foot offices in the historic Lexington Building downtown, the firm’s headquarters since 1981. / Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
Amid all the high-tech features that EOP Architects incorporated into its newly renovated offices in the historic Lexington Building downtown, one bit of tradition remains—a shiny brass captain’s bell, which for more than 20 years has been rung to celebrate each time EOP lands a new job.
The bell is now proudly mounted on one of the Lexington Building’s almost century-old concrete support beams, which remain exposed and contribute an industrial touch to the new space. Rich wood details, built-in cabinetry, exposed ductwork and other finishes create an overall sleek, modern aesthetic.
Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
Everything in EOP’s renovated seventh-floor offices reflects the latest technology, up to and including a virtual reality station that lets clients “walk through” a computer-generated 3-D image of their EOP-designed buildings before they’re ever built, often down to details like materials and finishes.
An open floor plan provides plenty of natural light, supplemented by centrally controlled LED lighting throughout. Carefully positioned thresholds further enhance the open feeling while delineating the floorplan and work areas. Sightlines in every direction frame sweeping views of downtown Lexington from large windows on all sides of the building.
There are several multi-purpose meeting rooms, as well as smaller nooks and gathering spaces that are often used for impromptu meetings and conversations. A newly created break room—complete with an automated coffee machine that grinds and brews high-quality java on demand—has also become a popular spot.
Special treatments on many walls allow staffers to scribble notes or make quick, erasable sketches on the fly, which designers tend to do when they’re discussing projects and solving problems. Files stored on a cloud-based server can quickly be called up on any device in the office, including a large flat-screen monitor used for client presentations. It’s all designed to facilitate and encourage EOP staff members to interact and share ideas, while working more seamlessly and efficiently in a creatively stimulating environment.
“The firm was elevated the minute we moved into this new space,” said EOP co-founder Rick Ekhoff. “People began to collaborate and communicate on a higher level. That’s important because ours is a collaborative business. We live off of people’s ideas.”
“People began to collaborate and communicate on a higher level. That’s important because ours is a collaborative business. We live off of people’s ideas.” —EOP co-founder Rick Ekhoff
While EOP’s staff are obviously energized by the new office and its benefits, it’s taken a while to get to this point.
Ekhoff and Paul Ochenkoski founded the firm in 1981. Richard Polk joined the firm shortly after as an architect and was offered a partnership a few years later—thus the name EOP. The seventh floor of the Lexington Building has been home ever since.
EOP eventually grew to its current workforce of 30 architects and interior designers, including several located in its Louisville office, which was opened three years ago. The company has done work in more than 30 states and has worked on many high-profile projects, winning numerous architectural awards in the process, including the Kentucky AIA Firm of the Year in 2010.
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EOP Architects recently remodeled its 5,000-square-foot offices in the historic Lexington Building downtown, the firm’s headquarters since 1981. / Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
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Magnus Lindqvist
Exposed century-old concrete columns and beams lend an urban edge, while wood, natural stone and other finishes complement the sleek design. / Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
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EOP’s designers opened up walls to allow natural light to flood into work areas. / Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
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The project included new meeting spaces with writable and pinup walls, and integrated the latest technology throughout. / Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
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Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
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Magnus Lindqvist
Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
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Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
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Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
EOP recently was named to design the new complex that will replace Frankfort’s Capital Plaza Tower. The firm is also involved in the Lexington Convention Center project, as well as two major Louisville projects, including providing architectural services for a massive re-imagining of the 12-acre Urban Government Center and analyzing Metro Louisville’s facilities needs.
But its space in the Lexington Building, which was built around 1920, had become inadequate. EOP leadership discussed renovation and kicked around design ideas for several years, though there was never any serious thought of leaving the downtown area. Eventually, design work got underway and the office renovation began in May 2017, with Lexington’s Jarboe Construction as general contractor. The project required gutting the entire space and temporarily relocating employees to offices on a lower floor, as well as a host of considerations in working around the building’s existing mechanical systems. By all accounts, the results were well worth the effort. The new quarters were finished last fall.
EOP officials said that, as was intended from the beginning, the project has created an efficient and stimulating workspace for employees, while also providing a showcase for the firm’s design philosophy and skills.
EOP's new offices include a virtual reality station where clients can "walk through" their new space before it's even built. / Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios
“We saw it as a potential marketing tool, but we didn’t realize how powerful it could be,” Ekhoff said. “In fact, it has become a huge tool for us.”
EOP officials said clients and potential clients who visited the offices before and after the renovation have been so impressed by the results that many now want to incorporate some of its design ideas into their own facilities.
EOP associate Daniel Ware, who was project manager for the renovation, said the experience “reinforces what we’ve thought all along, which is that design can change how you do business, change your mood and change how productive you are.
“Now we’re living it, and benefitting from it,” he added.
Still, Ware said that designing their own workspace was a little different than working with an outside client.
“When construction started, we got into what I think is one of the most interesting things architects do: guiding the process and making sure the client gets what we actually drew,” he said. “But in this case, we were the clients.”
EOP interior designer Susana Verni, who led the interior design of the renovation, said she thinks members of the firm became particularly invested in the project.
“We were emotionally involved because it’s our space; we live here,” she said.
Chris Estes, EOP interior design partner, said he felt some of that emotion when he saw the new front lobby taking shape.
“You walked through the door and immediately recognized that you were in a special place, connected with the energy of this new, open environment,” he said.
Estes said EOP learned things in designing its own office that it can incorporate into many of its current and future projects. Meanwhile, many think a wave of development could be building in downtown Lexington, right outside EOP’s new offices.
And that could mean more opportunities for EOP to keep that brass bell ringing for some time to come.
Photo by Magnus Lindqvist/GLINT Studios