The Project
Based in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, MDR is a sports management firm serving the needs of professional baseball players. The firm represents more than 50 players, including White Sox pitcher Jose Quitana, Atlanta Braves pitcher Jaime Garcia and catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Yadier Molina. In 2018, MDR leased 1,807 square feet of new office space to accommodate a dynamic group of agents and marketing specialists who handle the complex business of sports management. The group set out to design a work environment with all of the creative energy of Hispanic culture and the top-tier athletes the firm represents.
Objectives
Image and aesthetics are key influences in the world of sports. With that in mind, MDR
wanted to create an industrial look that pays equal attention to function and flair—as do
high-performance sports equipment and athletic apparel. Exposed structural elements reveal robust materials like raw brick and steel, while decorative components include a screen wall made up of multiple rows of baseballs and a baseball-inspired lighting canopy. By making an inventive use of shape, color and texture in architecture and furniture, the office interior captures the spirit of sports/entertainment and serves the nature of work in a highly competitive business.
Spatial constraints posed a significant challenge. Comprised of a reception area, private offices, a kitchenette and conference room, the office as a whole is narrow and the agent’s offices relatively small, requiring some modifications to standard workstations and casegoods. To make room for guest chairs in the agents’ offices, Teknion modified the length of credenzas in order to accommodate the need for private conversations and confidential negotiation.