For its new Atlanta office, New Relic, a California-based technology company that develops cloud-based software, wanted to keep employee health and wellness at the fore. It also wanted the workspace design to bolster productivity as well as employee engagement and retention.
To achieve these objectives, NELSON Worldwide incorporated numerous wellness-centered design elements. A wide variety of flex zones includes communal spaces, private phone booths for heads-down work, and an acoustic room. All the spaces have fully adjustable lights, giving employees control over their lighting. And rather than forcing employees to stay at their desks, the space encourages movement with flexible workstations—giving employees autonomy over how they get their work done.
To further support a wellness-oriented culture, the office also features sit-to-stand desks, a mother’s room, a massage room, and spa-like showers for employees. These elements aim to meet the evolving demands of different work styles and address the environment’s impact on employee experience.
The design draws on the company’s San Francisco roots while also nodding to its Atlanta environs. Clean architectural lines, mixed metal tones, and warm woods reflect Atlanta’s past, while the color palette draws from the surrounding lush landscapes, local flora, and geology. With a biophilic palette, NELSON tried to strike a balance between architecture and nature. NELSON also used eco-friendly and sustainable materials, in keeping with New Relic’s company values.
Since its start in 2008, New Relic has established offices worldwide, including Arizona and Oregon. The new Atlanta office “will become a space that enhances recruitment initiatives, solidifies talent retention, fosters ideas, and harnesses the power of creative thought,” NELSON said in a statement.
Owner: New Relic
Design architect and architect of record: NELSON Worldwide
MEP engineer: Barrett, Woodyard & Associates
General contractor/construction manager: CA South/Jennie Rusciano
Related Stories
Museums | Mar 5, 2015
A giant, silver loop in Dubai will house the Museum of the Future
The Sheikh of Dubai hopes the $136 million museum will serve as an incubator for ideas and real designs—a global destination for inventors and entrepreneurs.
Cultural Facilities | Feb 25, 2015
Edmonton considering 'freezeway' to embrace winter
If the new Edmonton Freezeway is constructed, residents will have an 11-km course that winds through the city and allows them to skate to work, school, and other city activities.
Mixed-Use | Feb 11, 2015
Developer plans to turn Eero Saarinen's Bell Labs HQ into New Urbanist town center
Designed by Eero Saarinen in the late 1950s, the two-million-sf, steel-and-glass building was one of the best-funded and successful corporate research laboratories in the world.
| Jan 15, 2015
Libeskind unveils 'zig zag' plan for recreational center near Vilnius ski area
Perched on the highest peak between Vilnius' historic quarter and downtown, the Vilnius Beacon will be a hub for visiting skiers and outdoor enthusiasts.
| Jan 7, 2015
4 audacious projects that could transform Houston
Converting the Astrodome to an urban farm and public park is one of the proposals on the table in Houston, according to news site Houston CultureMap.
| Aug 6, 2014
BIG reinvents the zoo with its 'Zootopia' natural habitat concept [slideshow]
Bjarke Ingels’ firm is looking to improve the 1960s-designed Givskund Zoo in Denmark by giving the animals a freer range to roam.
| Jul 30, 2014
German students design rooftop solar panels that double as housing
Students at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences designed a solar panel that can double as living space for the Solar Decathlon Europe.
| Jul 24, 2014
MIT researchers explore how to make wood composite-like blocks of bamboo
The concept behind the research is to slice the stalk of bamboo grass into smaller pieces to bond together and form sturdy blocks, much like conventional wood composites.
| Jul 14, 2014
Meet the bamboo-tent hotel that can grow
Beijing-based design cooperative Penda designed a bamboo hotel that can easily expand vertically or horizontally.
| Jul 14, 2014
Foster + Partners unveils triple-glazed tower for RMK headquarters
The London-based firm unveiled plans for the Russian Copper Company's headquarters in Yekaterinburg.