This renovation was one piece of Indiana University’s effort to reconfigure student, staff, and healthcare spaces to maximize the institution’s unique offerings — one project at a time. With adjacencies to teaching spaces and a medical campus, the transformation allowed the IU School of Medicine, Department of Surgery to remain in close proximity in the heart of campus without impacting operations or encroaching on occupied space.

In offices small or large, focusing on the impact of lighting can be the most cost-effective difference between a space that is welcoming and pleasant, where a professional might hope to spend their time, and one that is simply functional to the work in. The largest window was added in the open office area, to impact the greatest number of users. Integrated t-bar lighting elevates a space with ceiling tiles that might otherwise feel basic and typical. The design also prioritized flexibility. Users can work at countertops, or in private offices, in a variety of settings.