Inside our Latest 50Fifty DTC Office Buildout: FIOS CAPITAL and GALENA FOUNDATION

Two projects. One blog post. Why?
Because they’re connected at the core.

Denver-based companies Fios Capital and Galena Foundation recently opened adjacent offices on the seventh floor of 50Fifty DTC. The offices are distinctive but adjoined—each driven by unique objectives, design preferences, functional requirements and organizational structures.

Behind separate entrances and private office environments, a shared conference and break room area connects the two, allowing both companies to benefit from heightened amenities without allocating disproportionate space to a limited set of functions.

This unconventional model presented a unique design challenge: The shared space needed to feel like a cohesive extension of both office environments, without compromising the individuality of either.

So how did we bridge the divide? And, more importantly, how did we tailor each environment to the specific needs of the company within? Keep reading to find out.

FIOS CAPITAL

Objectives: Having functioned as a remote staff for 5+ years, Fios Capital decided to invest in a small office where associates could connect, meet with clients, and advance.

Our goal was to create a sophisticated environment that allowed for limited collaboration while protecting the privacy of each employee and their work. In addition, the office needed to set the tone for a high-caliber client experience without requiring a receptionist.

Design

Fios Capital  was designed as an extension of the owner’s personal workspace, and features a refined palette of navy blue punctuated by cool gray stone, dark espresso paneling, walnut millwork, and charcoal flooring.

At the entry, the walls and ceiling are clad in dark wood paneling that wraps around the left corner into the bright, central lounge. To the right, the solid surface gives way to open slats that extend across the ceiling and down the far wall, creating a gradient that invites guests through the intimate entry sequence.

Wood millwork throughout the space is streamlined and  closed with minimal handles to advance the crisp, modern aesthetic.

Offices radiate out from a tailored, central lounge area where employees can greet clients and engage in informal collaboration. The lounge is bright, calm and studded with high-end finishes including artwork, lighting, furniture and textiles.

To allow audio privacy between offices, Fios Capital is equipped with a sophisticated sound masking system. Visual privacy is provided by a three-band vinyl film that wraps the interior glass walls, allowing complete privacy at the seated level and limited privacy when standing.

Each office is equipped with a navy blue side chair, a dark blue coat rack and a large marble table that functions as both desk and small conference space.

Computer work-stations are tucked into the casegoods at the perimeter and include cord management system, task lighting, power modules with USB and outlet power and magnetic marker boards. The design allows Fios Capital to maintain a clean office aesthetic absent of visual clutter.

GALENA FOUNDATION

Objectives: Galena Foundation thrives on employee interaction, and wanted to craft a warm, open-door environment that promoted efficiency while allowing ample opportunities for communication.

The new office marks an expansion, and includes traces of their former location (furnishings, key features) while enhancing functionality and showcasing the personal interests and background of their founder, namely mining, engineering and geology.

Design

Galena Foundation’s founder has deep roots in mining, engineering and geology. He presented us with a USGS topographic map of the Front Range that served as a starting point for the design.

The palette features warm, natural materials—stone flooring, rich barnwood, copper and steel—paired with soft, neutral tones, glass panels and ample light.

The USGS map was abstracted to create a graphic metal screen that lines the interior glass walls and front desk. To create the seamless screen detail, structural framing was custom engineered with cold-formed steel studs. Large steel panels were cut offsite, welded onsite, then primed and painted in place. No mechanical fasteners are visible; the screen appears to float and casts shadows on the walls behind.

The reception desk is custom made—rough barn wood paired with a hand-selected veined stone slab that nods to mountain scapes.

Behind the front desk sits a gathering area and shared filing system complete with copy and print capabilities. All offices are directly connected to this space, separated only by semi-screened glass walls. The design allows for fluid communication between front desk, offices and core.

To capitalize on the buildings glass facade and interior light wells, both interior and exterior office walls are largely glass, flooding the space with soft, natural light.

FIOS CAPITAL and GALENA FOUNDATION

Objectives: The shared central area was designed to support both offices—providing additional conference and break room amenities—while maintaining separation between the two. The design needed to complement each in quality and tone, such that clients could be guided from private office into the conference room without noticing a disconnect (and, ideally, without cueing in to the atypical programmatic structure).

The program called for a high-caliber conference room across from a modern, casual breakroom. We employed a custom vinyl screen to allow shared light between the two spaces while minimizing distraction during meetings.

Design

Both offices include a clerestory on interior walls to allow light sharing throughout the space. This posed additional challenges for the Fios Capital office, which required complete audio privacy between offices.

The break room features sleek modern millwork, refrigerator, sink, dishwasher, ample counter space and clustered seating.

A glass wall with custom vinyl screen creates the separation between formal conference room and informal break room.

Each office is equipped with a small conference room designed to seat 6-8 people. The shared conference room seats 12-15 people, and includes advanced presentation technologies and three-dimensional ceiling tiles which benefit acoustics while adding a textural element to the space.

The offices are separated by latching pivot doors that allow each office to be locked off from the shared space.

Soft neutral tones line the shared space, creating a bridge between largely dissimilar office environments. Both parties aligned on the shared palette, allowing us to curate furniture and fixtures that enhance the design narrative of each adjacent environment.

Want to learn more about our approach to modern office design? Click here.