A Destination Headquarters that Puts Choice at the Center
When this confidential client set out to create a new headquarters, the goal was to design more than just an office. They envisioned a destination that reflected their evolving organizational identity, embraced their values, and redefined the role of the workplace in supporting people.
To bring this vision to life, the client partnered with HED to design a headquarters that would be as welcoming as it was functional, prioritizing staff agency, choice, and well-being at every scale.
Planning for the project began just as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional ideas of work. Rather than delay, the client leaned into the opportunity to rethink the office entirely. Staff had discovered that working from home provided a casual, natural rhythm of interaction they did not want to lose when returning to the office.
HED worked with stakeholders to explore how design could support, rather than dictate, behaviors: how do people want to work, how do they want to connect, and how can the environment offer choice without hierarchy or pretension?
The result is a headquarters that breaks from conventional space allocation models. Offices are not assigned by status but are available to anyone who needs them. Formal departmental divisions gave way to a variety of spaces that support collaboration, focus, and wellness. The headquarters is fully free address, offering staff the autonomy to choose where and how to work each day.
This freedom has been instrumental in encouraging staff to return through design that offers a richer experience than working from home.
The renovation was carefully ratioed to accommodate 1,200 employees with an emphasis on flexibility and accessibility. The space includes 280 workstations, 28 private offices, 25 phone rooms, 11 huddle rooms, seven small conference rooms, 12 medium conference rooms, two large conference rooms, and three training rooms.
The mix reflects a deliberate prioritization of collaborative and wellness spaces over traditional desks, with a workstation-to-private office ratio of 10:1.
“Every surface, every material, every detail was so thoughtfully considered and executed in a fashion that speaks confidence, community, and comfort.”
Key design elements reinforce this people-first approach. Life rooms and mothers’ rooms are located on multiple floors. Materials and finishes were chosen for their warmth and wellness qualities, helping create a calm, health-conscious atmosphere. Digital collaboration tools are integrated throughout, enabling real-time ideation with colleagues across the country while reducing the need for travel. These features allow staff to connect seamlessly whether working in person or remotely, strengthening cohesion across the organization.
The design has yielded measurable cultural benefits. The new headquarters is no longer thought of as “the office” but as “the collaboration environment,” a place where people come to work together in ways they cannot replicate elsewhere. Staff have returned by choice in significant numbers, and colleagues from other offices regularly request to meet in the new space.
The headquarters has quickly become a magnet for talent and culture—a destination workplace that reflects the company’s identity while supporting the health, well-being, and productivity of its people.
