YMCA

Our Torsa breathes new life into the historic non-profit’s new flagship location.

November 22, 2016

With a rich history that dates back to the 1800s, the YMCA and YMCA locations—now 10,000 strong nationwide—have become synonymous with youth-focused health, fitness and community programming. The Metro Chicago branch, established in 1858 and up until recently headquartered at The Lawson House on Chicago Avenue, decided to take a fresh, modern approach to their new main office in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. CEO Richard Malone envisioned the once neglected 60,000-square foot loft as a fluid, laboratory-type space that would accommodate their innovative community and educational programs while seamlessly integrating workspace for its employees.
 
To bring Malone’s vision to life, Jennifer Djikas of Henriksen teamed up with Lisa Tvrdy, Tom Rowland and Karyn Wanaski at Chicago-based firm Partners By Design.  Djikas’s complete furnishings solution—which included contemporary, white-framed Torsas all throughout the office—got everyone excited. Djikas brought in principle representative Don Canty of DesignLines Group, who hand-delivered sample Torsa chairs for the YMCA leadership team to test out. Along with being a visual point of interest against the building’s exposed brick and raw, timber beams, the Torsa also won for its ergonomic, high-comfort design and hyper-adjustability—employees who sat it in found they could easily customize the arms, lumbar and seat depth.
 
For the Metro Chicago Y’s growing, diverse team, the Torsa ergonomic work chair, was just one of many elements that came together to give the state-of-the-art facility a brand new look—one that both fosters and reflects its innovative spirit and hopeful vision for the future.

INSTALL FACTS:

Sales Rep: DesignLines- Don Canty

Dealer: Jennifer Djikas - Henricksen

Timeline: July - September 2015

Product: Torsa