HLW positioned its design to reinforce SAP’s marketing thrust as a cutting-edge, new-idea company. In addition to providing a smoothly functioning, motivating office environment for employees, a portion of SAP’s space was to be multifunctional: as an auditorium/presentation area to host major press conferences and receptions for media and clients; serve as a staff lunchroom; and operate as a 24-seat boardroom.

For the plaza’s architectural definition, panels of Lumasite—an acrylic-like material—are wrapped on a curved millwork frame. Floor-mounted overlapping fluorescent strip fixtures from Belfer behind the Lumasite wall create a graceful softly glowing border. For operating efficiency and color quality, Herrick specified Osram Sylvania’s 40-watt biax tri-phosphor lamps rated at 3000K with a CRI of 82. Above and behind this wall is a parallel slatted millwork partition that separates the plaza from the staff’s workstations beyond. The floor beneath the curved back-lit wall ramps up to accommodate the raised floor containing cables to power the electronic equipment.