Tech ‘Freestyle’ Office Renovation

To accommodate a growing workforce and technology advances, the tech services department of a large corporate client embraced an activity-based workstyle, or “freestyle,” that features modern, efficient workspaces in a mix of configurations and postures. Hennebery Eddy, working with design-build partner Turner Construction, created a flexible office design to serve more than 400 staff that is both more engaging and adaptable for long-term use — despite fitting more people in less space.

Standard offices and cubicles were converted into a range of collaborative areas, meant for high interaction, and individual areas, meant for quiet concentration. A balance of open workstations, group meeting spaces, lounges, libraries, nooks, and focus rooms were designed throughout the building, giving mobile employees their choice of work area based on their task. Locker and bike room facilities provide central storage spaces for personal items, and an adjacent cafeteria serves the group with upgrades to interior lighting and additional seating.

The existing buildings were initially renovated not long before the freestyle shift, and the client wished to achieve cost efficiencies by minimizing demolition. We found ways to blend existing and new while maintaining high design and brand standards and meeting a tight construction schedule driven by the need to remain operational. Through creative problem-solving, our design-build team limited renovations to roughly 70% of the total space — and returned money to the client.