Norwegian Consulate

Relocating offices for the Norwegian Consulate triggered ways to plan for more efficient space that would also create an improved visitor experience.   Desiring a more modern aesthetic and collaborative work environment, the Consulate partnered with Huntsman to lead the design effort that will ultimately result in an enhanced public image as well as greater functionality and flexibility for staff.  Learning that the current office feels disconnected to staff, Huntsman developed a plan that separates private and public functions in an L-shaped footprint.  A single corridor links private offices and clusters of open workstations off a reception that serves visa processing stations; glass storefronts and vestibules lend visibility while still preserving privacy.  A corresponding corridor links the more public areas of the Consulate; the main conference room opens to a secondary reception, which together serves a gathering area for public engagements.  Security features such as an air lock separate the private wing from the conferencing center.  

On the other side of the reception is an open work area dedicated to the Consulate’s innovation group that requires a more public face and whose focus is to promote innovation and development of Norwegian enterprises and industry.  Furniture by Scandinavian designers and wall graphics inspired by boreal forests help promote national identity and image throughout the space.

Client Royal Norwegian Consulate General
Location San Francisco, CA
Scope Consular Office Design
Size 5,000 square feet

Credits Photography by Rien van Rijthoven