ATLANTA – Each year Central Atlanta Progress honors downtown businesses for their design innovations by awarding a select group the Atlanta Downtown Design Excellence Award (ADDEA). This year, the winner in the office division is the full-service creative agency, The Jones Group (www.thejonesgroup.com) and Interior Designer Caryn Grossman of CG Interiors (www.cgcreativeinteriors.com). The team was recognized for creating innovative and eco-friendly office space for The Jones Group in the historic Pioneer Neon Loft Building on Marietta Street. To see a video on The Jones Group's award-winning office design, click on http://www.vimeo.com/7558599

 

A team of judges made up of design, planning and development experts made site visits to each of the nominees. They cast their ballots, and then the public was allowed to vote for their favorite designs. According to Ellen Mendelsohn, senior project manager, economic development of Central Atlanta Progress, the ADDEA Award raises awareness of quality additions, renovations, rehabs and new construction projects in downtown Atlanta.

 

"The Design Award is important to downtown because it showcases the unique designs and uses in the community," said Mendelsohn. "It brings attention to downtown in a way that shows the creativity and attention to detail that the public may forget exists in what they may consider a corporate or convention-oriented market."

 

During the renovation of The Jones Group's headquarters, two adjacent spaces were gutted and combined. Great care was taken to showcase and preserve such historic details as wooden floors, heart-of-pine columns, beams and ceilings, original metal vaults and plaster walls. Grossman assembled and worked with a team of local artisans to create custom lighting and furniture and an extraordinary mural painted on panels of compressed straw which interprets the creative process. Furnishings were custom made and locally produced from sustainable sources like compressed sorghum and recycled resins. The result is a new business environment as creative, cutting-edge, dramatic and exciting as the brand development and marketing work The Jones Group does for its clients.

 

"Re-imagining our office space gave us the chance to make a statement about who we are and what we do," said Vicky Jones, president of The Jones Group. "As a brand development firm, our work environment must reflect our own brand identity. Of course we want the space to show our clients that we are out-of-the-box creative thinkers who aren't afraid of bold, strong statements. At the same time, I wanted the new space to stimulate even greater creative thinking among the staff. With the combination of talents brought to the project by interior designer Caryn Grossman, furniture designer David VanArsdale, painter Michi, lighting designer Christopher Moulder and master craftsman Shane Benefield, I believe we've done just that. I am thrilled Central Atlanta Progress has honored our office design with the ADDEA Award," she said.

 

Renovating The Jones Group's space also allowed the firm to utilize as many green features as permitted in a historically significant loft. "Our building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places," said Jones. "While we love claiming this small piece of Atlanta history, it did present challenges as we incorporated the latest in green technology. For example, we were not allowed to alter the original historic windows. But, we were able to use sustainable and reclaimed materials throughout the space and make use of the loft’s original brick and beautiful woodwork," she said.

 

Grossman worked closely with Jones to plan the space and develop the overall design scheme. "This has been a wonderful project on so many levels," said Grossman. "First of all, as designers, Vicky and I really speak the same language. She clearly conveyed to me how important it was for the office space to create the right image for her clients and her staff. She wanted the overall impression to be one of innovation, mixed with stability, as is appropriate for a firm that's turned out award-winning work for more than 11 years. Obviously, the ADDEA judges agreed."

 

Grossman continued, "With any project - especially renovations of historic buildings - there are unique challenges. Here, we had to find the appropriate way to fit a sizeable number of people comfortably into the area. Vicky and I put a lot of thought into how people would move through the office and how their workspaces would function. She cares deeply for her staff's comfort and efficiency, which is one of the reasons The Jones Group was voted one of Atlanta's best places to work last year. I certainly wanted to build on that theme," she said.

 

"We began with a blank palette," Jones said. "The space was completely gutted and we planned the interior design and layout as an extension of the new The Jones Group corporate brand. For both our company's visual identity and as the primary color of the new space, we chose red. I believe that red is a dynamic, timeless, powerful, deliberate color. Plus, it's beautiful against the historic woodwork of the building's interiors."

 

ADDEA judge Laura Moody of Savannah College of Art & Design said, "I love that CG Interiors & The Jones Group were committed to sourcing custom furnishings and lighting from local craftsmen.  The finished product is beautiful and sustainable in the holistic sense of the word -- environmentally AND culturally."

 

Grossman noted that the design of The Jones Group's offices were meticulously planned to look effortless. "I see myself as the conductor of an amazing creative orchestra," said Grossman. "In the end, we've all joined together to create a beautiful symphony of a space for The Jones Group."

 

About The Jones Group
The Jones Group is an Atlanta-based full-service creative agency that focuses on reinforcing and enhancing brand image through effective marketing and visual communications strategies designed to increase profitability.  The company’s diverse portfolio encompasses integrated marketing campaigns, brand identity programs and annual reports, as well as corporate communications and national promotions.  The talented team produces award-winning work spanning print, interactive and environmental display media.  Clients include some of the world’s largest companies and most recognized brands, including The Coca-Cola Company, Cox Communications, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, UPS, AmericasMart and Mohawk Industries.  For more information visit www.thejonesgroup.com.