MDRC

This nonprofit moved into a new space that, they learned, needed a little more upgrading than previously thought. New offices were integrated into the existing layout, and a new ceiling allowed for a fresh lighting design that bridged the old and new elements while reflecting MDRC’s values and evolution, both as a nonprofit research hub and as a workspace.

Nanometer’s NanoTex Perimeter is a wall-to-ceiling fixture that runs the edges of spaces to connect them and form a cohesive whole, while also serving as a subtle wayfinding element. The linear design complements the clean, modern look of the office.

The NanoTex Perimeter guides visitors from the elevators to the front desk, a welcoming invitation transcending the glass curtain wall. The Perimeter is a fixture that, because of how it hugs the outline of an area, serves as both a lighting solution and a celebration of a space, as it is custom designed for each location.

This Perimeter fixture takes the form of an L with a 40-foot and a 30-foot arm that stretches seamlessly from the entryway into the reception area with no seams, not even at the 90-degree angle, thanks to NanoTex’s cold-stretch fabric technology that allows for entirely seamless illumination regardless of the shape.

Near the elevators, it also serves to gently wash the wall and accentuate the texture, giving more visual interest to an otherwise minimalistic and purely functional space. Like the Perimeter, this wall texture is also carried through into the office.

Past the front desk, the Perimeter makes a turn into a reception and gathering area, which in turn leads deeper into the workspace. In the reception area, the fixtures also call attention to the bookshelves, where employees and visitors alike can learn about the various social and educational initiatives created by MRDC to improve policies and programs that affect those with lower-incomes across the US, UK, and Canada.