This Stripped-Down Office Didn't Smooth Out Its Industrial Edge

This small Chicago office was originally, in the words of architect Vladimir Radutny, a "cluster****" of inefficient design and layout. To remedy the situation, Radutny devised a way to streamline without buffering out the space's industrial character. He first stripped away the clutter as well as the drywall, revealing the office's original brick and timber construction. New interior glass windows allowed more light to permeate the space, while black metal screens support desks and offer employees some privacy. The screens' perforations, which lighten their weight by 40 percent, also create a mesmerizing moiré effect. In the words of the architect, "if one daydreams, they need something to look at." The end result offers a workspace both raw and refined.