BusinessWeek Online Architectural Record Awards: A RECRUITMENT STORE THAT PULLS THEM IN

Sometimes, architecture can actually give a business a new identity. Take Futures By Temps. The temporary staffing and permanent placement service, facing a shortage of computer-literate, college-educated people, decided to ''shop'' for them in malls. For help, CEO Steven Ettridge turned to a firm with experience in restaurant design to create a 1,500-square-foot ''store'' that pulled in people as they strolled by. The idea was to treat applicants as customers and pursue them in high-volume retail areas. Adamstein & Demetriou Architects used visually rich architecture, interactive systems, and Web-site imagery to create a fun experience. Inside, the application area resembles a cafe more than an office. Testing and training spaces have a market feel, with bright colors and metal canopies. It's the office atmosphere replaced by a Starbucks-like environment. Walk-in traffic is twice that of Futures By Temps's traditional offices. All for $300,000 for the prototype, with future stores to go for half that.