Luminous panels made of backlit ice cube trays purchased at K-Mart. Screens fabricated from aluminum louvers ordered from air-conditioning catalogs.  Light fixtures made from truck air filters sold at Pep Boys. All these elements came to figure prominently in the design of the New York headquarters of the Oasis advertising agency. 

Oasis occupies the top floor of an industrial loft building in New York’s garment district.  The clients shared Specht Harpman's love for the urban vernacular—an appreciation for the tough stuff that takes on a different meaning when seen in a new context. Oasis supported the designers’ interest in using ordinary materials and products in unexpected ways. 

Specht Harpman worked with local boatbuilders to transform the individual ice cube trays into larger fiberglass panels.  The luminous blue panels color the entry lobby and provide a legible low datum around the interior circulation of the office.  Air conditioning louvers—which frequently replace glass windows and signal the presence of sweatshops in the garment district—are used to create custom, raked lighting at the reception area and operable privacy screens at the executive workstations.  Custom pendant lights are made from air filters commonly found on large delivery trucks and punctuate the main circulation routes and conference areas. 

The plan for the office offers clear city views to all the occupants by locating the enclosed private offices close to the core. Open workstations are distributed around the perimeter and maintain a low datum to assure unobstructed visual access.  Art directors and copywriters sit in custom tête-à-tête desks designed to foster creative interaction.