At EMI: New Space Reflects New Era

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The space, a former textiles warehouse, is filled with light and glass, to promote a sense of transparency throughout every part of the business.

Low partitions between cubicles are intended to foster open communication.

The "Music Spa" is a research space where clients looking for music for advertising or film projects can comb through EMI Music Publishing's extensive back catalog.

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Emphasizing the Music

"In the old place there really wasn't any place where you felt you were in the music business," says Faxon. "Here, there's almost no place you don't know that."

That's less true the farther down the office you walk, but the effect is nonetheless dignified and cool. The renovation has retained a slightly industrial feel—plenty of glass and white pillars—set off by natural wood, with soundproofing materials sprayed onto the ceiling. And while there's a definite hierarchy in place—Faxon and his No. 2, Chief Financial Officer Leo Corbett, have large, glass-walled offices, and there are other private offices around the floor—Faxon says transparency, in every sense of the word, is central to the new design, which feels light and airy throughout.

"We're not totally open-plan," he says. "A lot of what we do has a certain sense of privacy about it, so we tried to create a balance." But the use of transparent materials throughout is about more than aesthetics. "Lack of controls usually takes place in a dark corner, not in the bright light. We have a fiduciary obligation to our songwriters and a business responsibility to our shareholder," Faxon continues. "And we have an environment that tries to enable those."

Low-Rent District

Within the space, teams are located according to their roles, with departments that work together placed directly next to each other. Faxon terms the system 'neighborhoods,' designed to encourage communication and collaboration between disciplines such as licensing, copyrights, and royalties. A largeish listening room and a research space where music commissioners from ad agencies or filmmakers in search of the perfect soundtrack can comb EMI's back catalogue of over a million songs are prominently placed on either side of the space.

Even better, Faxon adds, the office space works out to be a lot less expensive than the company's previous two office spaces in Midtown Manhattan, which cost between $95 and $140 per square foot. "I don't think it serves the interests of our shareholder to spend that sort of money," Faxon says. The Chelsea space costs around $70 per square foot.

While it remains unclear how the music publishing industry will look in years to come, or what role companies such as EMI Music Publishing will play, Faxon seems relieved to have his team in one place. As he concludes the tour, he stops and looks at the glass space in front of his office. "I wanted people to be able to see that Leo and I were always in sight," he says. "It wasn't that everyone else had to be in the open but we could hide. And you know? It's amazing how many people walk by. They want to see what we're doing." They're not the only ones.

Helen Walters is the editor for BusinessWeek.com's Innovation and Design Channel .