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SAN DIEGO—GlobeSt.com was on the scene when design firm Gensler hosted a grand-opening event at its new state-of-the art ground-floor offices at 225 Broadway in Downtown San Diego Wednesday evening. As we recently reported, the firm recently moved from its offices on the 16^th floor of the building into 21,000 square feet of office space on the ground and second floors of the building, space formerly occupied by TV station NBC7. As Gensler's principal and managing director Kevin Heinly told us, the new space features a large “urban living room” that doubles as an event space, a VR room for sharing virtual-reality project presentations and a private roof deck overlooking Horton Plaza Park.

The event took advantage of the long spring daylight hours by allowing guests to gather on the private deck and enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Guests also mingled in the office's interior, testing out the VR room's equipment and admiring the warm, open and welcoming feeling of the collaborative space. Several gathering areas included couches, coffee tables and large-screen TVs, and among the features was a chess board, employee photo wall, bookshelves and a break area.

Gensler executives told GlobeSt.com the renovation took roughly five months to complete, and building ownership was incredibly cooperative with the process, which by nature spilled out in front of the building. Ultimately, the renovated space is representative of the recent trends in office that are sweeping the nation: collaborative space, “home-like” atmosphere, more common areas, daylighting and sleek furnishings.