The Challenge

Fordham University’s undergraduate school of business has attracted top students and expert teaching talent to its programs since its founding in 1920. Nine decades and ten locations later, Fordham has built a dedicated space for the school, recognizing that continuing its legacy of educating tomorrow’s global business leaders means developing a workforce well-versed in state of the art technology and tools used in modern workplace.

The Innovant Solution

The new Gabelli School of Business opened in the fall of 2012, quadrupling the schools size and bringing all related activities under one roof. HLW, the project design partner, envisioned a light-filled interior with a contemporary aesthetic. To furnish the forty-seat trading room, a school highlight located on the ground floor next to the highly-trafficked lobby, HLW selected Innovant’s FORm_office system. From prior experience with the line, HLW was confident that the open leg benching would keep the space visually clean, while at the same time accommodate the robust technology specifications needed to power the Bloomberg terminals and double panel screens used to display the latest business and stock trading software. The glass wall that separates the trading from the lobby area transforms from clear glass to digital images when privacy is needed.

The Result

The trading room is popular with students and faculty alike. Students have access to real time stock data and use the space as a working lab, fulfilling the Gabelli School of Business’ mission to graduate students with relevant skills for today’s workplace and an ability to expand these into the future for their careers.