The lounge in Food52’s office. Photo courtesy Aaron Thompson
For a young practice, New York–based Float Studio has built a substantial reputation for being a kind of design sage for start-ups. Emerging companies rely on designers Brad Sherman and Nina Etnier’s acuity for creating workspaces befitting their brand and their budget.
Sherman’s education in start-up culture came by way of a short stint manning the front desk at a busy coworking space in Manhattan. “The people I met at General Assembly were aging out of the typical coworking model,” recalls Sherman, who has a master’s degree in sustainable architecture. “They were growing substantially and looking for spaces of their own but were very scared by the prospect of spending a ton of money on it. I realized that there was a need for architects of start-up spaces in the design world.”
Before Float, Etnier was steeped in the world of high-end residential and commercial design. With a degree in visual media and marketing and a graduate diploma in interior spatial design, she possesses a broad skill set that’s well suited for the types of design challenges Float tackles.
For Casper’s headquarters, Float Studio designed small pods with beds, which employees can use for meetings or to take a nap. Photo courtesy Aaron Thompson