Perkins+Will Designed IFMA Office Recognized As Cool Office Space

10/16/2014 | Perkins+Will

The Houston office of Perkins+Will, a global leader in architecture and design, announced that the recently designed office for International Facility Management Association (IFMA) received recognition by the Houston Business Journal as one of Houston’s coolest office spaces.

Perkins+Will was hired to design the relocation for the International Facility Management Association Center of Excellence.  The challenge was to create a physical and virtual environment conducive to the work styles and settings that drive organizational innovation, support achievement of strategic objectives, and provide a world-class workspace for the staff that would add value for the worldwide members of the association.

Design principles that guided this process include visual connectivity, concentrative space, informal collaboration space, flexibility, and space allocation based on project teams.  Planning focused on integrating the agility necessary to support how employees will choose to work - from home, another location or anywhere within the new “living lab.” Mobility strategies are supported by technologies for all staff, and the space supports this mobile culture with a program that dedicates most of its square footage to shared or collaborative space rather than individual space.

Operational sustainability and a reduced footprint were accomplished through strategies including electrical metering, attention to daylight and views, and the use of low VOC materials, such as paint, wood and adhesives.

COOL FACTOR:
The new global headquarters showcases cutting-edge mobility strategies for people and ideas. It features some of the freshest ideas and technologies drawn from the expertise of IFMA’s 24,000 facility management members and offers a living example of what the workplace of tomorrow might look like.
A facility that supports human mobility offers a wide range of advantages. Operational environments change from week to week, while the day-to-day needs of individual employees change as well. By rethinking traditional fixed office layout and liberating employees from assigned workstations, IFMA helps to drive change instead of merely reacting to it.

About Perkins+Will
Established in 1935, Perkins+Will is a global interdisciplinary architecture and design firm founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance society. With a staff of 1,600 in 24 locations worldwide, the firm serves clients across a broad range of project types and grounds its work in deep research. Perkins+Will ranks among the world’s top design firms and is the recipient of hundreds of awards. Social responsibility is fundamental to the firm’s outlook, work, and culture, and every year Perkins+Will donates one percent of its design services to non-profit organizations. With pioneering tools to advance sustainable design practices, the largest green building portfolio in North America, nearly 1,000 LEED® Accredited Professionals, and a commitment to the 2030 Challenge, Perkins+Will is recognized as one of the industry’s preeminent sustainable design firms. For more information, visit www.perkinswill.com.

Located in the Houston Central Business District among 25 of the Top Fortune 500 companies, and ten minutes from the world's largest medical center, the Houston office of Perkins+Will is led by a seasoned leadership team who has practiced in the State of Texas for many years. With deep roots in the community, we have built a practice upon the firm's major areas of expertise: science + technology, healthcare, higher education and corporate + commercial + civic. Our architects and designers are recognized for their deep knowledge and innovative approach to research, problem-solving, and project delivery. Our specific expertise includes laboratory design, life science labs, vivaria and high-containment facilities, educational facilities as well as government structures, commercial projects and high-end corporate build outs. Our clients are leaders and innovators in their fields. We are respected for our commitment to design excellence, our leadership in sustainability and social responsibility, and our goal to create value for our clients through innovative thinking and creative problem-solving. These values are as important to the firm today as they were at its founding over 75 years ago.