Key Features
A Collaborative Space That Reflects Innovation and Craftsmanship
Webcor saw its corporate office renovation as a unique opportunity to showcase its skills as a general contractor and build an innovative space that reflects its craft and core values.
Among the office’s new features is an overall emphasis on Webcor’s area of expertise: construction. In stark contrast to traditional office spaces, pipes and conduits are not hidden behind ceilings; they are exposed, displaying the craftsmanship that went into it. The reception area features a complex concrete design, while rebar is repurposed throughout the office for holding planters – conveying Webcor’s passion for the tools and materials of construction.
As an innovative leader in the construction industry, Webcor adopted emerging technology as an essential aspect of the renovation effort – employing automation in the drywall application in partnership with SVVL, a venture of our parent company, Obayashi.
Furthermore, the office combines the most effective elements of an open-office design with more traditional layouts. While most workspaces are in an open-office layout, there are a number of private offices. Additionally, small conference rooms and private one-or-two-person spaces have been created for private conversations or quiet reflection.
The expansive open-office space facilitates collaboration and impromptu meetings, while the employee café doubles as an all-hands space with distributed microphones, speakers, and cameras installed to support large groups for events, workshops, and training sessions. The office also offers a wellness room for rejuvenation and a mother’s room with a sink and locking door for privacy.
Employees have diverse workspace options throughout the space for optimal comfort. While natural light permeates throughout the majority of the office, all lighting fixtures are equipped with innovative BIOS lighting technology structured around natural circadian rhythms to optimize employee health. Additionally, every employee – even those in the open-office spaces – have adjustable desks and quality seating to ensure ergonomic comfort. Office materials, from drywall and flooring to carpets and ceilings, were selected based on optimal sustainability criteria. The furniture was carefully selected to exceed the ANSI/BIFMA eFurniture Sustainability standard.
Sustainability was a crucial consideration when renovating the office and is immediately noticeable upon entering the space. Drawing inspiration from the principles of green design, the office space includes 130 square feet of green wall spanning two unique walls. The repurposed rebar planters hold row upon row of plants, complementing Webcor’s color scheme. A biophilia program has led many employees to create and maintain plants on their desks, adding to the explosion of living greenery throughout the office.
Other sustainability-focused elements include attention to indoor air quality, water consumption, and waste reduction.
Employees Continued Working as the Renovation Proceeded
The renovation was undertaken without requiring a complete relocation of employees. Those working on the north side of the floor moved into temporary quarters while the south side was renovated. The employees working on the north side then moved into the newly renovated south side while workers tackled the north side. Everyone was reunited once the north side of the floor reached completion.
