Creating a Flexible Model for Hybrid Work
When the Detroit team began planning a new office in Royal Oak, the goal was clear: create a workspace that reflects the realities of hybrid work and supports a wide range of activities. The studio needed to be highly flexible, technology-rich, and intentionally designed to bring people together. With staff working on individually defined schedules, the office had to function as a hub for collaboration, focus, and community.
The design process began with stakeholder sessions and surveys to better understand how staff wanted to use the space. The result is a space organized as a mix of distinct but interconnected zones. Rows of focused workstations are interspersed with smaller private rooms, referred to as “rail cars” and “cabins,” for moments of quiet. Collaboration happens in flexible meeting rooms, huddle areas, and an expansive central meeting room that doubles as a café, capable of hosting more than 200 staff and guests for events.
The design process began with stakeholder sessions and surveys to better understand how staff wanted to use the space. The result is a space organized as a mix of distinct but interconnected zones. Rows of focused workstations are interspersed with smaller private rooms, referred to as “rail cars” and “cabins,” for moments of quiet. Collaboration happens in flexible meeting rooms, huddle areas, and an expansive central meeting room that doubles as a café, capable of hosting more than 200 staff and guests for events.
The office reflects its new home in Royal Oak, a neighborhood recognized for its arts, food, and entertainment culture. Environmental graphics, colors, and materials draw from biomorphic patterns and natural motifs. Large-scale murals evoke the feel of a park, reinforcing a connection to nature even in a deep floor plate. These biophilic elements are more than decorative—they create visual links to natural forms and bring diffuse, dynamic daylight into view, stabilizing circadian rhythms and promoting wellness. Living plants and natural finishes further reinforce this connection.
Adaptive technology complements the physical environment. Plug-and-play systems align with staff laptops and mobile devices, enabling seamless transitions between spaces. Acoustical strategies allow both quiet focus areas and energetic collaboration zones to function side by side without disruption, giving staff confidence to move fluidly between modes of work.
The new office positions HED’s team as both practitioners and advocates of flexible, human-centered workplace design. It demonstrates in practice what the company promotes to clients: that spaces can support choice, adaptability, and connection while reflecting the personality of their community.
In 2024, the project was recognized with the Renews Michigan Real Estate Award for Architecture Firm of the Year.
