United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951 (UFCW)

by Ryan | Oct 30, 2023

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951 (UFCW)

4045 60th St SE
Kentwood, MI 49512

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951 (UFCW) project is very important to us because it spanned more than three years in a customer relationship that persevered through COVID-19 and ended in great success because of their focus, clarity, and determination. We appreciate being brought along to help.

When we met with them, they were early in the process of selling their existing building and finding a new building that would meet the current needs of the union. We toured several buildings with them and landed on the former Steelcase Credit Union on 60th SE, which had been vacant for approximately 10 years. The site is prominent and visible, and the spaces could accommodate their staff. They needed to expand the space to allow for members’ space and the site allowed for that.

We invited our friends Dwayne Masselink and Trevor Howard from InterActive Studio to join the team as architects. Along with r.o.i. Design, they developed space plans and layouts for the remodeling of the credit union. Because UFCW needed to use union contractors, we called on partners, KASCO Inc. They were able to check all boxes for union labor but more importantly, could protect UFCW from political issues in West Michigan by managing trades and the site.

UFCW shared with us the “looks” they liked. They researched our project history and gave us clear directions on details from our portfolio. These included wood slat millwork walls, storefront glass offices, private cubicles with tall walls and doors, simple lighting, and non-fussy details. The property brought some challenges, including converting a barrel ceiling to an open office ceiling. Opening the ceiling revealed mechanical ductwork that required bulkheads and some non-traditional acoustic solutions.

The overall design theme is contemporary and architectural but not “over the top”. Color comes through furnishings provided by Interphase Interiors and West Michigan Office Interiors. Otherwise, the space is warmly neutral.

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© All Photos Courtesy of InterActive Studio.

Cedar Animal Hospital

by Ryan | Oct 2, 2023

Cedar Animal Hospital

3705 Gentle Way
Cedar Springs, MI 49319

Cedar Animal Hospital needed to accommodate patients and pet owners who need 24/7 emergency services. r.o.i. Design met them through Pinnacle Construction, who created the building’s architectural design as well as constructed the building. We were engaged by Pinnacle to provide the interior design that met the practical and aesthetic requirements of the space: highly cleanable and comforting, with a touch of their Northern Michigan style.

Some of our favorite elements of the design include the new reception desk with a “wood” canopy that was built with acoustical materials, the lobby/waiting lighting, the large-scale porcelain floor tile, the interior wood walls in the lobby and staircases, and the warm color scheme.

Kudos to Pinnacle on the design of the emergency wing. Its modern approach, while different from the main building, is still “Northern Michigan” in its use of wood and metal on the exterior.

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DCI – Dykhouse Construction, Inc.

by Ryan | Oct 2, 2023

DCI – Dykhouse Construction, Inc.

4714 Electron Ct
Wayland, MI 49348

Ryan Dykhouse of Dykhouse Construction asked r.o.i. Design to work with them on the design for their new office in Wayland, MI. Their building houses their offices and their tenant, Kent Home Services, a specialty residential concrete flooring supplier. We followed the terrific architectural planning of Dixon Architecture and provided interior design oversite for both spaces.

Collaboration with Ryan was thoughtful, and we really appreciated running alongside his vision. That vision included forward-thinking design, but without unnecessary “flashiness”. Instead of trendy details, the design brief included a desire to create relatable and classic finishes in an unexpected way. The two-story space off the lobby was a great opportunity to use a Chicago Brick veneer finish that rose 20 feet, and to clad the open staircase structural wall with wood planks. In the main conference room, a prominent wall is dressed in a porcelain tile that looks like stone.

The reception desk has the appearance of stacked timbers highlighted by LED strip lighting. And over the reception desk, where there is a wood ceiling with wood joists, we suspended a black Unistrut canopy that incorporated LED strip lights. This feature is interesting in appearance but costs much less than a fancy chandelier. The rest of the decorative lighting mimicked the black Unistrut theme to create a unified appearance. Overall, the finishes are simple with spots of color in the backsplash tile and accent paints.

The space has the classic details of brick, wood, and stone with innovation in lighting and furniture.

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Trailer X-Press

by Ryan | Oct 2, 2023

Trailer X-Press

290 92nd St SW
Byron Center, MI 49315

Trailer X-Press is in its second generation of leadership and thriving. They moved from a sliver of property in southeast Grand Rapids to an expansive 83,000 SF building in Caledonia. This move allows them to improve all parts of their business, planning for growth and raising the level of performance.

When we joined the project, there were already so many great things about the building, especially the two-story entry with a prominent spiral staircase that leads from reception to executive offices. The color red was a clear choice in all parts of the design as it is at the core of their brand and marketing.

Combining maintainable services with great aesthetics was part of the brief. The lobby has a beautiful porcelain tile that transitions to polished concrete for some open offices. Concrete-look vinyl flooring and carpet were used for closed offices and conference spaces.

Designing within their brand inspired the team to use diamond plate dimensional paneling on the reception desk, the staircase half walls, and in the parts store.

The two-story entry allowed for interesting uses of decorative lighting, suspended at different heights based on the staircase and overall lumen needs. The result is fitting to the space.

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Nicolai Diamant North America

by Ryan | Aug 9, 2023

Nicolai Diamant North America

3990 44th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Nicolai Diamant is a world leader in the production of tools for polishing and finishing stone materials and marble slabs, with facilities in Italy, Russia, and the U.S. They purchased a building on 44^th Street in Grand Rapids, and it required a complete interior remodel. The goal was to open the space completely and create a modern, European look.

A key partner in the remodel was Haworth, the office furniture giant, whose president, Franco Bianchi, is also a friend of Nicolai’s CEO, Miller Ganapini. Bianchi gave us personal tours and advice on the Haworth products that would provide a forward-thinking, modern look. Working through Haworth’s dealership, Interphase, the new headquarters uses full glass wall systems for offices and the conference room, and a new introduction of moveable systems furniture that allows rotation of desks to provide options for collaboration or independent work.

The interior design was intended to be minimalistic: white, gray, and black. This is seen in the carpet, case goods, and framing selections. The lounge seating added a touch of the new “turquoise”. A few accent colors can be found along with the artwork.

The overall lighting was created by strip lighting hung 8 feet above the floor in a 10 feet tall space. There are a few decorative feature lights. All light fixture selections were inspired by styles by FLOS and other European designers.

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