Strategic Risk Solutions
Burlington, VT
Seventh Generation is an industry leader in the development of biobased home and personal care products. With this project, the company embarked on a major renovation of its global headquarters, transitioning to a 100% Agile workplace that more fully reflects the company’s social, environmental, and strategic aspirations.
The client’s goals for the project were threefold: to expand the size of their on-site R&D Lab; to support projected growth within the company; and to better align the workplace experience with the company’s social mission and brand values.
PROJECT TYPE:
Renovation, Office Interiors and Lab
DESIGN SERVICES:
Interior Architecture and Design
PROJECT AREA:
36,000 sq.ft.
COMPLETION DATE:
January 2020
CERTIFIED:
LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors
At the onset, TruexCullins led a programming and visioning process to define the project scope and design direction.
By combining sustainable design strategies with an agile workspace, the project creates a curated storytelling experience that aligns with the company’s core aspirations: nurture nature, enhance health, transform commerce, and build communities.
As a wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever, Seventh Generation saw this project as an opportunity to transition to a 100% Agile workplace, with free address workstations, shared community tables, and individual storage lockers. Enclosed huddle rooms, phone booths, and open scrum areas on each floor offer multiple options for flexibility and collaboration among departments.
A well conceived circulation plan is critical for the successful implementation of an Agile workspace. With proper planning, isolated departments can be connected, while providing sufficient separation for privacy and focused work.
At Seventh Generation, the central atrium was opened to adjacent workspaces on each floor, allowing it to function as a central organizing space. Each floor level is identified by a unique color and tied to one of the company’s five core values, continuing through to each workspace with color coordinated acoustic panels, furnishings, and accent colors.
This project achieved LEED Gold Certification for Commercial Interiors, with high scores for water efficiency, energy savings, and innovative green design strategies
Biophilic design elements are incorporated throughout, with interior plants integrated into custom furnishings and product display walls. The greenery contributes to improved indoor air quality and acoustics, and is a tangible symbol of the company’s focus on bio-based products.
The R&D Lab is central to the company’s operations and was doubled in size. This was supplemented by a new Packaging Lab and Testing Lab for product demonstrations.