{"id":446,"date":"2012-11-16T09:22:46","date_gmt":"2012-11-16T09:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/?p=446"},"modified":"2012-12-09T21:29:03","modified_gmt":"2012-12-09T21:29:03","slug":"office-space-fashionbuddha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vfxpdx.com\/?p=446","title":{"rendered":"Office Space: Fashionbuddha"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Let’s talk Office Space<\/strong>. No, no TPS reports (mmmkay?) or bashing up malfunctioning fax machines here, although probably not a day goes by I don’t quote the genius of Mike Judge. Nope, in this case, it’s time to take a step back and have a look at the place we spend so much of our waking lives. Let’s talk s<\/em>hop<\/em>, literally.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Office Space posts will take a look at some of the best, most inspiring spaces and office environments in the Portland VFX scene. It’s an idea that occurred to me while doing studio tours along with my VFX classes at the Art Institute of Portland over the years.\u00a0 As we got around town to a new shop each term, we started to realize we’ve got something special going here.<\/p>\n

Oh, you know, it’s not always puppy dogs and ice cream out there. \u00a0 I think we’ve all had our fair share of temp spaces where you look at your desk and it’s like, “why bother?”\u00a0 Being the rough and tumble world of production that we live in (some more than others), often times we’re chucked into a garage or warehouse with a bunch of space heaters and ikea furniture and still meant to do our best work.\u00a0\u00a0 But growing pains and makeshift situations aside, there’s definitely something to be said for making the most of your space and surrounding yourself with things that keep you going when the going gets tough.\u00a0 Once you get to be somewhere with permanent prospects, and they give you your own chunk o’ real estate to call your own…\u00a0\u00a0 that’s when things get interesting and you can start dialing it in just so<\/em>. When this environmental evolution starts to take place, sometimes over the course of several years – you can’t help but see someone’s personality come through in their space.\u00a0 Definitely one of the keys to sanity (tm<\/em>).<\/p>\n

In this first installment, we’re getting a tour not of just any one person’s space, but a whole studio worth.\u00a0 One of my favorite Portland studios – interactive, design, animation and self proclaimed digital skunkworks Fashionbuddha<\/a>! As if their previous west side waterfront office over in the old Merchant Hotel wasn’t cool enough, they’ve upped the ante and shifted across town to snag the top floor of the coveted Leftbank building<\/a>, split alongside Sockeye Creative<\/a>.\u00a0 The ‘buddha is pitching anchor and setting up shop for years to come, and it’s now getting to the point where they can show it off. Let’s open that door and have ourselves a look – right this way!<\/p>\n

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As you walk up to the front door of the Leftbank, it’s hard for the Trail Blazers fan in me not to notice the proximity to the Rose Garden – directly across the street.\u00a0 Which, of course, means we are also directly in the heart of the Rose Quarter.\u00a0 A stone’s throw from the Broadway Bridge, and the first stop on the new streetcar east side loop.\u00a0 Nice view!<\/p>\n

The Leftbank building underwent a major refurbbing and rebirth in 2009, and it’s new wave of residents are as diverse as they come; in a strange cosmic way (or perhaps by design) they all seem to combine to form a sort of perfect creative Voltron.\u00a0 A group of Trail Blazers in their own right.\u00a0 You’ll see what I mean in a minute;\u00a0 it’s a unique chemistry that’s on tap here, and we’ll take the scenic route on the way up to Fashionbuddha’s roost.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>As you enter, you’re immediately hit with the wafting trail of coffee being ground by the Stingray Cafe<\/a>, who are holding fort in Leftbank’s lobby.\u00a0 Breakfast, lunch and the occasional late night pre-Blazer game fare served up daily.\u00a0 I’ll order up a split shot soy mocha, thanks. It’s my day off and still before 10:30, so as usual I’ve not quite joined the living yet.\u00a0 Better pep up for the tour and, really, who could make it past that smell of fresh coffee without getting roped in?<\/p>\n

The funky wood encased elevator holds a bulletin board with all sorts of techie announcements and job posts, and it’s glaringly obvious that Fashionbuddha are not alone.\u00a0 Other than the aforementioned Sockeye Creative, Leftbank is also home to a roster of tenants known affectionately as the family<\/a> and notably in there is an office pod collective known as the Hive<\/a> (not to be confused with Hive-FX).\u00a0 As a freelancer myself, I always wonder if this sort of an office setup away from home might be a glimpse into my crystal ball?\u00a0 A sole proprietor can presently rent a cubicle in the Hive for about $350\/month, and have 24\/7 office access and I believe shared internet, utilities and IT support, and including bike parking, shower, kitchenette, you name it.\u00a0\u00a0 Not to mention the energy and atmosphere brewing.\u00a0 Mmmm, good coffee btw.<\/p>\n

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Speaking of brewing, I’m sorry but I seem to have pushed the down button in the elevator. I did say the scenic route, didn’t I? I couldn’t pass up the chance to head downstairs to Upright Brewery <\/a>and their tasting room, which is a speakeasy style craft beer soire and defacto “secret spot” to meet up before a Blazers game. Well, not so secret now I s’pose.\u00a0 It replaced the skeeballin’ good times at the Spirit of ’77<\/a> and then Windows (top floor bar of the Red Lion Hotel) as the go-to pregame ritual, and is such a great place to grab a pitcher with some friends.\u00a0 Drink basement-style amongst the vats as people chuck on whatever record they’re feeling at the moment.\u00a0 DJ Democracy in the house!\u00a0 And the beer?\u00a0 Solid, and even better given that it’s solidly priced.\u00a0 Upright (named for jazzer Charles Mingus weapon of choice, the upright bass) keeps it simple and numbers their beers rather than confusing things with these “names.”\u00a0 Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need “roads.” \u00a0\ud83d\ude42 \u00a0 I’m a #5 fan m’self…\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>but that’s for another day. \u00a0Let’s head upstairs and get the real show on the road (or lack thereof).<\/p>\n

Yep, third floor, Fashionbuddha. Here we are!<\/p>\n

Walking in, we’re greeted by…\u00a0\u00a0 just about the cutest white pit bull (mix?) I’ve ever seen,\u00a0 and as friendly as they come.\u00a0 Super cute.\u00a0 Meet Bella, deserving of the title office mascot today.\u00a0 I’m told Nemo, a 12 yr old Shepherd, is also usually at the studio.\u00a0 Need me to sign an NDA, Bella?\u00a0 Woof?\u00a0 Hmmm, now is that a “yes” woof or a “no” woof?<\/p>\n

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The first impression that hits you when you absorb the room is how open<\/em> the space is.\u00a0 No divided cubicles here.\u00a0 No generic painted gray or beige walls.\u00a0 Windows all around, and skylights too. With those braced metal desks and smooth reflections on the metal surfaces complimented by wood and brick, you couldn’t raytrace it any better than this!\u00a0 Ok, nerdy 3D jokes aside, the light does reign free here, but the computer screens are carefully angled so artists can see and work without glare, making you wonder why some of us work in spaces so low on light they could pass for dungeon if Game of Thrones<\/em> was scouting locations around Portland.\u00a0 Offices line the wall to the right, but notice all of the big gliding plank doors are wide open.\u00a0 Some thick Feng-shui in the air – this space is well designed<\/em>.\u00a0 Everything is in it’s place for a reason, and there was careful thought behind the placing of every piece.\u00a0 The mark of people who care about the visual aesthetic.<\/p>\n

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Executive Director Robert Lewis with Blue the puppet dog (from the Intel webseries Cam & Maggie)<\/p><\/div>\n

Enter Skylab Architects<\/a>, who partnered with Fashionbuddha on the design of the space.\u00a0 Form and function given equal love, and plenty of personality injected along the way.\u00a0 Everyone, meet Founder & Executive Director Robert Lewis, the driving force behind Fashionbuddha.<\/p>\n

“They gave me a list of furniture and bits to buy and as I started to see it come together, there was an ah-ha moment. \u00a0 Ahhh, ok, now I see why they chose those<\/em> chairs, paired with those<\/em> light fixtures,” he said.<\/p>\n

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And by now you’ve noticed the sofa.\u00a0 The <\/strong>sofa.\u00a0 To end all sofas.\u00a0 What a couch!\u00a0 Robert, ok seriously, can you jump on up there so I can show them all the scale of it? (by the way, worth noting that Robert is a normal sized guy despite being reduced to a Hobbit when sitting on a couch this size)<\/p>\n

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I mean, I’m almost without words here.\u00a0 Pulling this pic into Photoshop before uploading made me feel like I was working on Alice in Wonderland all over again.\u00a0 The sofa is a completely custom job.\u00a0 Custom made to be massive.\u00a0 Massively comfy.<\/em>\u00a0 He confirms that the entire company can fit on the sofa.\u00a0 Best…\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 meetings…\u00a0 \u00a0 ever.<\/p>\n

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The doors of the old office in the BG will become the conference room table<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Moving from the casual meeting space of le grande divan<\/em>, there is also a formal conference room, which is fully functional but a work in progress.\u00a0 “The plan all along has been to take the doors from the old office and convert them into our conference room table,” says Lewis. “There’s a lot of history there.”<\/p>\n

Several offices line the side of the main room, and with the open door policy you can’t help but wander in.\u00a0 What’s this?\u00a0 Further evidence that we live in the stop motion capital of the free world, that’s what!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>There’s the remnants of a little miniature set with the familiar faces of Luke, Yoda and R2D2’s chrome dome.\u00a0 Ha ha, Fashionbuddha recently finished up their contribution to the organic Star Wars Uncut<\/a>, which is currently taking submissions for the The Empire Strikes Back!<\/em><\/p>\n

Fashionbuddha chose scene 188, a great slice of a classic, and although I hesitate to put this as the first image some of you will have ever seen from Fashionbuddha, it’s just so darn\u00a0fun.\u00a0<\/em>They earned this embed!<\/p>\n