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Ship to Shore

Annie Block, Mark McMenamin, and Meghan Edwards -- Interior Design, 5/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

The Atlantic Container Line finds its fortune on the high seas. And TSC Design set out to reflect the nautical endeavors of this cargo-shipping specialist at its new headquarters, 45,000 square feet on three levels. Never mind that it was dropping anchor in landlocked Westfield, New Jersey.

Oak-clad curved walls make the entry distinctly hull-like. Set into them, niches contain miniature ships and maritime artifacts. Round recessed ceiling fixtures could be glowing portholes. Blue, capturing the essence of water, was the obvious choice for a unifying accent color: Take the blue polycarbonate canopies that ripple above workstations with blue panels. Kitchen cabinets in the 40-seat cafeteria are also blue. However, the most literal marine imagery is white. It stands in the middle of the room, a round column that rises to terminate with a giant fiberglass replica of a ship's propeller. The encircling ceiling cove is lit by LEDs—blue, of course.