Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Offices – New York City
Unispace was tasked to create a space for Mediterranean Shipping Company to reflect their company values at their new office in New York City, New York.
MSC, a world leader in container shipping, was looking to upgrade their New York workplace to better convey their global role in the shipping and logistics sector and showcase their progressive ideas and evolutionary thinking in the industry.
Wanting their new space to better reflect their values of trust and community and highlight their Italian family heritage, MSC sought to implement innovation and flexibility, using their high-end Montreal office as inspiration.
Without standards to adhere to, the Unispace design team started from scratch – finding that the essence of MSC’s new workplace was meant to be a blended space of traditional and progressive ways of working, while showcasing the vibrancy of their brand. They want to not only impress clients but provide a clear idea of who they are – private, family-owned, and focused on connections.
The design team conducted several visioning sessions with the MSC team to get a sense of their look and feel. They wanted the space to be representative of their Italian roots, so a European aesthetic was adopted in the NYC space. They opted for marble finishes and bold color statements as well as defined what a “modern” workplace meant for them – a blend of private offices and flexible, collaborative space.
The exterior conference room lies adjacent to the multipurpose room providing additional spaces for entertaining guests and internal functions such as training. Open workstations with natural lighting and city views connect staff and welcome collaboration.
The custom entry into the café sets the stage for a space of camaraderie and team socialization. Its dimensions mirror that of an MSC shipping container and its pantone is the exact color of their yellow containers and brand.
Due to the pandemic, halfway through the project the originally planned two-floor design/build was reduced to one floor, requiring a redesign of the space to accommodate a larger number of people in a smaller footprint. Despite the potential for setbacks with the pandemic and redesign, the Unispace team delivered the project a week earlier than scheduled, meeting both the vision and goals set out by the MSC team.
Design: Unispace
Photography: Chris Cooper
 Offices – New York City){kind=link}