Today, geniant, a next-generation experience consulting company, announced the acquisition of Eastlake Studio, a Chicago-based architecture and interior design firm. Together, the forward-thinking teams will collectively transform the nature of experience consulting by integrating architecture and digital solutions to deliver exceptional experiences for employees and customers.
“We’re entering a new era in workplace design,” says geniant CEO of Physical Space David Dewane. “To meet future demands, we must think about the employee experience holistically – space, people, and technology. Eastlake is a best-in-class design firm that instantly brings geniant’s capabilities to a new level.”
“As we’ve been examining unique hybrid work models, we are finding that additional skill sets and methods are needed to truly understand the evolution of the modern workplace,” says Eastlake Studio Architect and Principal Kevin Kamien.
“geniant provides our team with experience research expertise that, when integrated with architecture and design, can shape the future for organizations in this critical moment in history,” added Eastlake Studio Interior Designer and Principal Christina Brown.
As consultants who have partnered with top companies around the country, geniant believes that the experience and performance of information workers can be radically improved. The modern office has not kept pace with the rapid changes in technology and lifestyles. The pandemic exposed this misalignment and has called the status quo into question.
To effectively adapt the employee experience to this new reality, geniant employs contextual research methods, producing crucial, actionable insights for optimal workplace performance — this has specific implications for workplace design, as well as cultural and change management programs.
“As designers, our curiosity has led us to deliver award-winning solutions for our clients over the past 35 years,” says Eastlake Studio Principal Emeritus Tom Zurowski. “This next step is a natural evolution. It allows our teams to gain even more insights into the clients we’re designing workspaces for,” added Jon Salzmann, principal emeritus of Eastlake Studio.
Eastlake Studio recently received an Interior Design Firm of the Year award at the 2022 Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards and frequently has projects awarded by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The firm’s work has appeared in publications including Metropolis, Interior Design, Architect, and Crain’s Chicago Business.
“Experiences happen in physical spaces, between people and through technology, shaping the world we live in,” says Chairman and Co-CEO David Lancashire. “The addition of Eastlake Studio is a key step in our strategy to provide a complete suite of services to help businesses optimize their entire brand experience.”