Well before the pandemic changed office life as we knew it, the Executive Principals at Ricca decided to lease a newly modernized office building and completely overhaul the space entirely. After much uncertainty, delays, negotiations, and renegotiations, we are excited and pleased to move into our new office officially. We cannot wait to settle in and launch the next 50 years of Ricca from our modern contemporary home. Please continue reading below to learn about the highly interactive process and creative internal design competition we undertook to ensure we were designing an office space that captured the needs and desires of our hard-working and valued employees.
As a close-knit company of approximately 50-employees, the Executive Principals wanted to create a space that would be relevant, modern, and timeless for years to come. Not only were amenities critical, but the voices of employees were equally important. There were polls for everyone to chime in on location within the Denver metro area, building class rating, the importance of Front Range views, parking, and noise. As feedback rolled in, Executives challenged everyone to share their wild ideas, outlandish requests, and top must-haves for our new home away from home. According to Lenny Condenzio, CEO, there were some unique ideas, including a gigantic fish tank and a significant number of plants. Sifting through all the ideas and suggestions became quickly overwhelming. Still, the Executive Principals remained steadfast in their commitment to delivering an office that the entire company had a hand in creating.
The Executive Principals narrowed the building down to three final options, and there was plenty of input from everyone as many employees participated in site visits. The following steps soon began to start conceptualizing and planning more realistically: an internal design competition. First, they invited everyone to form their design teams and released an RFP of sorts, identifying the scope and schedule. The background information identified the key factors that needed to be included and set the general parameters of the design, all while incorporating elements of the Ricca Cultural Truths and celebrating our culinary and hospitality roots. Then, it was up to the teams to develop a preliminary program and present it to the Executive Principals during a two-hour design charette. Upon completing the design charettes, they narrowed the "shortlist" down to two final teams. They were then tasked with taking the design through 50% Construction Documents and participating in a final design presentation. We saw such creativity, engagement, and an outpouring of unique ideas brought to life through 3D renderings and Enscape walkthroughs throughout the entire process. Everyone who participated in this challenge took their efforts to the next level and dove in, contributing their valuable time, energy, and skills to a passionate endeavor. After the final presentations, the Executive Principals came together to weigh the two options and ultimately select a winning team and design to move forward. Two individuals from the victorious group were identified as project representatives and worked closely with the Executive Principals, the architect, and the interior designer to ensure that the team brought their intent to life.
In reviewing the notes and surveys of the planning competition, there were 20 items the teams wanted to achieve with the new space. Some include bike racks, a gym, and natural light. The winning design succeeded in capturing 19 of the 20 items. Moving into a new space from one that was once home for so long has energized our employees and stands as a testimony to accomplishing the design team's hard work and planning. This success will continue to build upon the cornerstone of Creating What's Next in Culinary Design for the next 50 years.
This series is celebrating Ricca's 50th
anniversary & launching the next 50 years!