As unemployment rates continue to drop, competition for jobs in the workforce stiffens. 

In the first quarter, Arizona’s unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, which is a 2.4 percent increase in total employment year-over-year. During that time, 17,175 of the 47,600 workers added to payrolls were in traditional office-using sectors, according to a Marcus & Millichap 2017 Office Report.  

One way a company can position itself to attract and retain the best employees is through the built environment of its workspace.  

In a 2016 Workplace Survey, Gensler, the largest architecture firm in the world, identified a direct link between key aspects of workplace design to higher levels of creativity and innovation. According to its research, “There are 48 million U.S. workers that are working in a workplace that is not set up to help them innovate, representing billions of dollars in lost revenue and profit for countless organizations across the country.” 

These offices represent workplace strategies, designs and features that drive innovation, releasing the creative potential of every employee through the power of design. 

 

Booking.com 

Owner: Booking.com 

General Contractor: Venn Construction (formerly RJM Construction) 

Architect: Gensler 

Location: 112 N. Central Ave., Suite #600, Phoenix   

Size: 2,800 SF 

Start/Completion: January 2016 – April 2016 

Why it’s awesome: Looking to capture the essence of Arizona and the Sonoran Desert, the design team collaborated with Booking.com to create a fun and uniquely Phoenician office. Elements and materials representative of Arizona were integrated into the space, including door frames made from locally-sourced reclaimed mushroom wood and custom saloon doors, a sly play on the wild west history of the state. The break room includes a lucky penny wall punctuated with commemorative Arizona State quarters.  

 

Cushman & Wakefield 

Owner: LBA Realty  

General Contractor: Layton Construction Company 

Architect: RSP Architects 

Location: 2555 E. Camelback Rd., Suite #400, Phoenix 

Size: 34,119 SF 

Value: $2.4M 

Start/Completion: October 2016 – March 2017 

Why it’s awesome: The new Cushman & Wakefield workplace spans two floors within Esplanade V and features sit-to-stand desks, a branded lobby with a 96-inch column of transparent video monitors and an assortment of both collaborative and private spaces complete with wireless audio-visual capabilities. A restaurant-style café/lounge, dubbed “Cushman Central,” was also implemented featuring cold brew, beer and wine on tap for entertaining clients and hosting industry and company events. 

Keyser 

Owner: Jonathan Keyser 

General Contractor:  Layton Construction (Phase 1); SAB Southwest Architectural Builders (Phase 2) 

Architect: Bar Napkin Productions (Phase 1); Evolution Design (Phase 2) 

Brokerage firm: Keyser 

Location: 4141 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale 

Size: 11,000 SF 

Value: $1.1M (Phases 1 & 2) 

Start/Completion: April 2014 – August 2014 (Phase 1); May 2016 – September 2016 (Phase 2) 

Why it’s awesome: Designed after high-end, European style, cutting edge law firms, the open office features a hidden doorway separating the front lobby from the rest of the space, which includes writable walls throughout, high end finishes, massive granite tables in conference rooms, numerous huddle rooms with lounge seating and a huge kitchen lounge area. In addition to video games, mini-basketball hoops, a ping pong table and dart board, the office also boasts a punching bag and a red English-style telephone booth with Superman’s costume in it.  

Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie Headquarters 

Owner: Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie 

General Contractor: Stevens Leinweber Construction 

Architect: Gensler 

Location: 201 E. Washington St., Suite #1200, Phoenix 

Size: 65,000 SF 

Start/Completion: August 2011 – 

March 2015  

Why it’s awesome: The design represents a refreshing take on traditional law office design. Knitting together a polished reception, universally-sized attorney offices, multi-functional library, relaxing lounge and expansive conference center, the design team created a look and feel that is timeless. Designed as one-part gallery and one-part functional law office, visitors and staff navigate the modern interior, walking on hand-laid end-grain wood floors, among works by Calder and Miró. The law library was combined with the attorney lounge, featuring double-sided rotating bookshelves, and allowing for a highly-efficient, collaborative space. 

Matson Money 

Owner: Matson Money 

General Contractor: Wespac Construction 

Architect: Evolution Design 

Brokerage: Cresa  

Location: 18940 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale  

Size: 47,482 SF 

Value: $7.43M 

Start/Completion: January 2016 – October 2016 

Why it’s awesome: Deemed “Matson Money West,” this innovative new regional headquarters for the Cincinnati-based wealth management company, is truly a one-of-a-kind project. Cresa’s project management provided an exclusive office environment with client experience enhancements such as a TV studio, screening room, high-tech training environments, a merchandising area, catering kitchen and exceptional office décor like imported Italian title and two, three-ton sections of the actual Berlin Wall.  

Seed Spot 

Owner: R&R Arizona 

General Contractor: Robert E. Porter Construction 

Architect: CCBG Architects 

Brokerage firm: Colliers International 

Location: 502 S. Second St., Suite #1, Phoenix 

Size: 4,500 SF 

Value: $227,000 

Start/Completion: April 17, 2017 – May 31, 2017 

Why it’s awesome: After nearly four years at its Midtown location, Seed Spot, an incubator for entrepreneurs with ideas for social change, relocated to the Phoenix Warehouse District in June to a newly renovated commercial suite in the historic R&R Partners warehouse. Built in 1926, the renovations highlight the former produce warehouse’s 20-plus foot ceilings, brick walls, concrete floors and wide open layout. Seed Spot’s new office also features conference rooms and a large classroom that will help the nonprofit better serve the start-ups they incubate through enhanced collaboration. 

Wentworth Property Company Corporate Office  

Developer: Wentworth Property Company  

General Contractor: Jokake Construction 

Architect: RSP Architects 

Location: 802 N. Third Ave., Phoenix  

Size: 14,740 SF 

Start/Completion: 1Q 2016 – Q1 2017 

Why it’s awesome: Wentworth transformed the first floor of the three-story office building to include a virtual reception area, café and game room. Christened “J-Dub’s,” the space includes a 30-foot bar with on-tap beverages, communal tables, a 22-foot shuffleboard table, electronic games and patio for corn hole. Accessible via stairs or elevator, floors two and three include private and shared workstations, conference rooms and breakout areas with bar-height and upholstered seating. 

Western Window Systems 

Developer: Wentworth Property Company 

General Contractor: Layton Construction 

Architect: Ware Malcomb 

Location: 2200 E. Riverview Dr., Suite #100, Phoenix 

Size: 35,000 SF (office); 135,000 SF (warehouse) 

Brokerage: Cresa  

Value: $5M 

Start/Completion: October 2016 – April 2016 

Why it’s awesome: The 170,000 SF tenant improvement project is the new corporate headquarters for Western Window Systems. The office design embraces the culture of the company: “A Better Way to Live and Work.” Inside, hundreds of lineal feet of multi-slide glass line office and meeting room areas. You’ll also find video games, pool tables, putting green, LEGO walls and a slide from the second floor to the first.

Workuity 

Owner: CoWork, LLC 

General Contractor: RJM Construction 

Architect: Bar Napkin Production 

Brokerage: Cushman & Wakefield  

Location: 2390 E. Camelback Rd., Suite #130, Phoenix 

Size: 18,358 SF 

Value: $1.8M 

Start/Completion: December 2017 – March 2017  

Why it’s awesome: Workuity, the largest co-working space in the state, has opened its flagship location within the Biltmore Center. Members enjoy extraordinary workspaces that combine the flexibility and community of a co-working facility, with the productivity, sophistication and personalized service that high performance professionals, entrepreneurs and start-ups demand. Members receive 24/7 access to private office suites, open workspaces, conference rooms, a theater, telephone booths, a 30-foot kitchen, secure printing, business class high speed fiber internet with the best available high-security architecture, coffee, beer and wine always available, fitness center with locker room and showers, all for one affordable price with month-to-month terms.

YAM Worldwide Center 

Owner: YAM – Bob Parsons 

General Contractor: Hardison Downey  

Architect: McCarthy Nordburg, Ltd. 

Location: 15750 N. Northsight Blvd., Scottsdale 

Size: 66,000 SF 

Value: $7.9M 

Start/ Completion: October 2014 – June 2016 

Why it’s awesome: Its design is rich in a raw industrial setting that exudes the customer experience, starting in the lobby, with a grand rolling video behind the custom reception desk, vibrant colors, a blackened steel feature staircase and exposed ceiling with wood slats. The space captures the story of YAM and speaks to their unique branding and culture, with numerous community spaces for collaboration in a variety of bench seating options. Building information modeling was used to balance technical needs with a one-of-a-kind design desired by the client.