The headquarters for Medallia was designed to reflect the ethos of their people and products: an engaging, user-centric business that helps companies better understand their customers and improve their experiences. Key priorities were to improve transparency and connectivity, while maximizing a conservative budget ($40-$45/SF below market rate). Their workspace showcases the innovations that can be achieved through close collaboration between design and construction, using an architect-led, design-build method.

Reflecting the company’s global diversity and increasing scale, the design of the workspace was approached as if it were a city, or “Offi(city).” Through studying maps of informally planned cities, particularly the potent public realm occurring in spaces between buildings, an evolution of office planning emerged. The flowing open floor plates have dispersed volumes that define “active voids.” These layered pockets of semi-enclosed meeting spaces allow their community to continue their culture of collaborating in open, but with improved ability to focus at workstations. These “rooms without walls” emerged as a symbiotic union between their particular culture, way of working, and budget constraints.

Because of our process, the nuances of construction cost and methodology were not deferred, but instead a catalyst for an innovative approach to the conventions of construction. In early collaboration with the construction team, we recognized a major component contributing to the budget, outside of infrastructure, was one we take most for granted - the walls. The meeting rooms defining the active voids were made from pre-fabricated walls created assembly line fashion, built and stacked on site until installation. These were clad with wood veneer panels elaborated by varied techniques of assembly and staining. Set against the wood are vivid furnishings, selected through curated co-design process with staff, in order to represent significant global locations. This co-design process achieved a higher level of differentiation, reflecting dynamic city fabric.

Photography: Emily Hagopian