On the List of Coolest Offices …
… the Association for Iron & Steel (AIST), located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recently completed a major renovation of their office and made the list of “cool offices” as rated by the Pittsburgh Business Times. Given its steel constituents and being headquartered in “the Steel City,” it’s clearly no wonder that AIST used steel as its primary material for the renovation! Pittsburgh has fondly been known as “the Steel City” for over a century, named for its more than 300 steel-related businesses.
According to the Pittsburgh Business Times, here is why it is a cool office: AIST’s newly renovated office is comprised of steel and glass themes with an open floor plan and a variety of spaces for working and collaborating. In addition to large work stations, there are four “campfire” zones for informal gatherings, each with soft seating, a high table and a wood canopy with views of the natural surrounding campus. If employees need privacy, they can relocate to designated “phone booths” with space for 1-4 people. The exposed ceiling with factory-style LED pendant lights, steel roof girders, sprinkler piping and ductwork reinforce AIST’s industrial mission, while the extensive use of glass provides natural lighting and adds to the urban design. Ceiling “clouds” bring architectural appeal while also muffling ambient sound. They work in concert with a white-noise generator, which keeps conversations private, while also playing music throughout the building. The next phase of renovation includes a break room, a 50-person training room, a 30-person boardroom and a foyer for greeting guests.
“CAMPFIRE” ZONE
“PHONE BOOTH”
METALCON is excited to head to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the first time in its show history next year in October 2019. We look forward to bringing the “home of metal” to the “home of steel.”