Zipcar lobby, 35 Thomson Place - Boston, MA
Iron Mountain, One Federal Street - Boston, MA
CoreNet Global N.E.'s annual Best New Workplace Awards are given to projects that demonstrate innovation in design, use of real estate, functionality, and/or technology and have supported the organization's mission and contributed to successful positioning in the market. The annual Awards of Excellence were presented at CoreNet Global N.E.'s gala celebration on November 6.
Iron Mountain Global Headquarters - CoreNet Global New England Award of Excellence, Best New Workplace/Large Renovation: When preparing to relocate its global headquarters from 745 Atlantic Ave. to One Federal St., Iron Mountain seized the opportunity to completely re-envision its workspace from three perspectives: design, workforce policies and healthy living. Iron Mountain sought a high-performance, sustainable office environment to reflect its culture, support its growing mobile workforce, increase collaborative space and improve efficiency, and support the company's focus on health and wellness for its employees. The project recently received LEED Gold certification.
With its move to One Federal St., which reduced the company's square footage to 112,000 s/f, Iron Mountain adopted a high performance workspace strategy and launched a mobile work program called "Mobile Mountaineering." Featuring an open, flexible, and efficient floor plan with individual workspaces, 100 fewer offices, and technology-supported conference and collaboration space, the high performance workspace design of Iron Mountain's new global headquarters promotes collaboration, sustainability, and global branding.
Zipcar Global Headquarters - CoreNet Global New England Award of Excellence, Best New Workplace/Small Renovation: Having outgrown its previous space, Zipcar, the world's leading car sharing network, sought an efficient and organized office environment that would foster a greater sense of community within its new headquarters. After comparing efficiencies of potential locations, Zipcar ultimately decided to occupy all six floors of 35 Thomson Place in the city's thriving Innovation District, allowing the company to create an entire "Zipcar Building," including space for Zipcar vehicles in reserved on-street parking spots in front of the entrance. The new 46,000 s/f office employs a high performance workspace strategy offering an open and productive floor plan for collaborative work, while embracing sustainability for a healthy working environment.
Designed to support the dynamic growth of the company, Zipcar's high performance workspace includes a new lobby with views directly into the company gathering area and living room; conference and training space; individual and collaborative work areas; and dining areas. To further the Zipcar brand, large and small graphic displays are scattered throughout the space. Several walls are customizable with dry-erase marker or chalkboards. Through their social media channels, Zipcar requested photos of their customers with Zipcars, or places where their Zipcars took them, and framed them on the wall in the main reception area.
"We believe a successful design is one that not only satisfies a company's space needs, but also creates transformative experiences that change the way work is done," said Janet Morra, AIA, LEED AP, principal at MPA. "MPA focuses on understanding the unique needs of every client, and then works through a collaborative process to express the client's corporate goals, culture, and brand in an innovative workplace design. MPA is honored to receive these awards because they validate the influence of design in creating the workplace of the future."
MPA's design awards point to a broader trend in corporate interior architecture as area companies streamline their real estate needs, incorporate branding to excite the workplace, and promote collaborative and innovative work through the use of technology integration and efficient use of space. MPA's award-winning high performance workplace projects illustrate facility flexibility, sustainability, and amenities that provide companies with workplace innovation.
Consistently ranked as one of Boston's top architectural and interior design firms, Margulies Perruzzi Architects creates buildings and interiors for clients who value the quality of their workplace. The firm services the corporate, professional services, healthcare, research/lab, and real estate communities with a focus on sustainable design. MPA has designed high performance workspace for Iron Mountain, Zipcar, Boston Scientific, Philips, Vistaprint, Forrester Research, Hobbs Brook Management, and Reliant Medical Group.
