iFILM
 
Launched in October 1998, IFILM is the leading authority and directory for the emerging world of Internet film, and the most popular online resource for film fans, filmmakers, and entertainment industry professionals. KEA designed their new work space to inhabit an existing 21,000sf brick building in Hollywood. KEA's plans accommodate roughly 250 workstations along with support spaces. The open layout houses 10+ departments and is flexible to accommodate the rapidly changing needs of the company.

The design establishes a ground level entry sequence extending an interior wood plank floor to the exterior. The reception area provides a strong representation of the company and features a series of monitors displaying Ifilm's web content. From reception, guests and staff move up a brightly colored stair shaft to the second floor where the majority of operations are housed. A waiting area is backdropped to suggest the rear wall of a theater projection window, except here the tables are turned - one walks toward the beam of the projector and upon spinning around can view Ifilm's content projected on the opposite wall.

From this controlled sequence space breaks down to an open plan with skewed planer walls of gypsum board and translucent panels casually leaning along a core of meeting spaces, copy rooms, restrooms, and a south facing lunch area where KEA has designed a large communal table along with eating counters & foosball tables.

Attention was paid to organizing massive amounts of cabling and "not too bright" lighting requirements favored by the company's web designers. In addition to the interior improvements, KEA is selecting an eclectic mix of furniture with custom designed workstations geared to users who need multiple screens and external accessories. The design is simply detailed utilizing off the shelf components to facilitate a tight budget and accelerated/phased schedule.