These are the places people, employees and visitors alike, talk about. These are the coolest offices in Metro Phoenix.
Designed with form and function in mind as well as creating an environment that people want to be in, these office spaces are some of the “coolest” in the Valley.
A well-designed office space can be a company’s biggest asset. Employees want to work in an office that was designed with them in mind. A place where they are comfortable, feel connected to their colleagues and are motivated to be the best employee. The coolest offices will grab your attention and keep it until the workday ends.
Jones Studio
General Contractor: Build Inc.
Architect: Jones Studio
Brokerage firm: NA
Location: 205 S Wilson St., Tempe
Size: 6,687 SF
Start/Completion: Aug. 2014/Apr. 2016
Why it’s awesome: The North and West walls are open to exterior gardens providing beautiful and calming views. To insure fresh air at all times, there is a 9’ tall Ficus tree in the middle of the office. Jones Studio is currently building a hydroponic garden to help supplement healthy food choice for our employees. Triple beer tap keeps the family together. All water for gardens and landscaping around the office is supplied from locally harvested and stored rain water from a 2500 gal. tank located under the parking lot.
DPR Construction
General Contractor: DPR Construction
Architect: SmithGroup
Brokerage firm: N/A
Location: Phoenix
Size: 16,533 SF
Value: $4,500,000
Start/Completion: Apr. 2011/ Nov. 2011
Why it’s awesome: A living laboratory for the community, DPR’s new office is a unique example of urban revitalization and sustainability. Conceptualized as a “net-zero energy workplace of the future”, DPR created an open-office environment housing 58 workstations and floater spaces, support spaces, fully-equipped gym/locker facilities, and a zen room for a quiet retreat. A first-of-its-kind commercial building in the Valley, the project achieved LEED-NC Platinum Certification and was the first Net Zero Energy commercial office in Arizona.
Varsity Tutors
General Contractor: Jokake Construction
Architect: Ware Malcomb
Brokerage firm: JLL
Location: 2120 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe
Size: 35,000 SF
Start/Completion: Sept. 2017/Jan. 2018
Why it’s awesome: Varsity Tutors’ new office and sales center features a modern design, with existing raw building materials and other elements left exposed throughout the space. This included an open ceiling, exposed concrete block wall and tilt-up panels. Books are suspended in between light fixtures in the breakroom paying homage to the company’s foundation in education. The project features open office space, a training room, conference rooms, a large break room, and multiple collaboration areas.
The Grid
General Contractor: Alexander Building Company
Architect: Corgan
Brokerage firm: ABI
Location: 5227 North 7th Street, Phoenix
Size: 16,000 SF
Start/Completion: Nov. 2017/ April 2018
Why it’s awesome: Many of the building’s original features are emphasized in the new space including concrete double tees on the first floor, exterior staircases, and exposed block walls. Designed to accommodate coworking on the first floor, the building also includes a large multipurpose room for entertaining, training, and a community yoga room. Balancing raw materials with a sleek modern feel, a perforated metal canopy and second skin was added to create new dynamic exterior spaces and protect the building from the elements.
CBRE Workplace 360
General Contractor: Layton Construction Company
Architect/Designer: Gensler
Brokerage firm: CBRE
Location: 4th, 5th and 6th floors of Tower IV at The Esplanade (2575 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 500 in Phoenix)
Size: 75,000 SF
Value (or cost of the project): Confidential
Start/Completion: June 2017/Dec. 2017
Why it’s awesome: The new office is part of CBRE’s global Workplace360 initiative. In the new space, employees are no longer tethered to assigned desks or cubicles, but instead can choose from a variety of collaborative and private work settings that align with their changing needs throughout the day. The high-tech lobby called ‘The Heart’ features both a nine-screen media wall and an immersive, multi-screen presentation tool called Liquid Galaxy. Health and wellness components of the office include sit/stand and treadmill desks, wellness rooms, healthy snacks and hydration stations.
GoDaddy Global Technology Center
Owner: Elm Tree
General Contractor: Ryan Companies US, Inc.
Architect/Designer: SmithGroup (Interior), Patrick Hayes Architecture (Exterior)
Brokerage Firm: CBRE, Cushman and Wakefield
Location: 2155 East GoDaddy Way Tempe
Size: 150,000 SF
Value: Confidential
Start/Completion: May 2013/Sept. 2014
Why it’s awesome: Ryan Companies helped to support a creative work style for 1,300 employees, including engineers, developers and customer-care representatives. The two-story, 150,000-square-foot build-to-suit facility, complete with slide and climbing wall, serves as one of nine facilities nationwide for the GoDaddy. “Ryan has built a killer facility. It embodies our GoDaddy spirit, which is energetic, innovative and passionate…it’s just a great place to get work done.” Blake Irving, CEO, GoDaddy.
Meltmedia
Developer: The Boyer Company
General Contractor: Stevens Leinweber Construction
Architect: Krause
Location: 2120 E. Rio Salado Pkwy.; Ste. 201 Tempe
Size: 22,500 SF
Brokerage Firm: Keyser
Value: $1.4 Million.
Start/Completion: Jan. 2018/Apr. 2018
Why it’s awesome: Designed to reflect meltmedia’s unique personality and work style. Iconic features include an employee café serving local beer, coffee; 120 SF of moss walls; and an entryway specially designed for a dog-friendly work environment, part of the company’s culture. The office is also intended to serve as a gathering place for design, development, and technology meetup groups, with large classrooms and presentation spaces.
Zion & Zion
Owner: Architekton
General Contractor: Bistany, PLC
Architect: Architekton
Location: 432 S. Farmer Ave. Tempe
Size: 14,241 SF
Brokerage Firm: N/A
Value: $4.3 million
Start/Completion: Jun. 2015/Jan. 2016
Why it’s awesome: This office features a game room with shuffle board, pool table, old-school arcade games, darts, and giant jenga; multiple beautiful and functional meeting spaces, one with a view of A Mountain; thousands of square feet of whiteboard wall for brainstorms and a no-cubicle floorplan that promotes open interaction and collaboration. It also has a fully equipped kitchen, with double kegs (one for cold brew, one for beer!), integrated technology, beautiful architecture and color throughout the two floors, all in a dog-friendly environment.
Norris Design
General Contractor: SAB
Architect: Dan O’Brien
Brokerage firm: Lee & Associates
Location: 901 E Madison, Phoenix
Size: 13,500 SF
Value: $2,500,000
Start/Completion: Oct. 2016/Dec. 2017
Why it’s Awesome: Employees can walk to Chase Field, walk to light rail. Building was originally constructed in the 1920s and began as a produce warehouse. The redesign created an open/collaborative work space with sandblasted original wooden trusses and exposed original brick walls and concrete floors. There are three conference rooms, an indoor/outdoor bar area with a glass garage door closure. Open kitchen concept with two refrigerators, dishwashers and microwaves. Activities include ping pong tables, a basketball hoop, bag toss, office bicycles and a grill.
JDA Software
General Contractor: Jokake Construction
Architect: Corgan
Brokerage firm: Cushman & Wakefield
Location: 15059 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 300 Scottsdale
Size: 13,000 SF
Start/Completion: Apr. 2017/ May 2018
Why it’s awesome: The new JDA Customer Experience Center overhauls the traditional showroom with large touch screen displays, interchangeable wall panels, clear acrylic floor tiles with reactive sensor lighting, and flexible furniture. While a roaming robot navigates through the high-tech interactive digital playground’s guest reception and lounge area, employees can also find dedicated spaces for individual and group work in a variety of huddle rooms, office spaces, or in a 30-person board room.
Small Giants
Owner: Clayton Companies
General Contractor: Paxton Construction
Architect: Clayton Design
Brokerage firm: Lee & Associates
Location: 8100 E. Indian School Rd., Ste. 201, Scottsdale
Size: 4,000 SF
Start/Completion: 2017/Feb. 2018
Why it’s awesome: This new office is in an ideal location, with nearby amenities and a fun, modern atmosphere. The bold colors, clean lines and trendy interior design elements all reflect the company’s brand. Floor-to-ceiling glass partitions line the walls of the conference rooms and private offices. Chalkboard walls allow clients and employees to doodle and track creative ideas. Camp SG was created as a fun, playful space where employees and their kids can escape from the office, well sort of. The bullpen is where company meetings take place along with larger brainstorming sessions and training seminars.
Solera at The Monroe
General Contractor: Southwest Architectural Builders/SAB
Architect: Ajanta Design/Brian Braganza
Brokerage firm: Kevin Lange at Camelback Realty Group (Tenant), Michael Crystal at NGFK (Landlord)
Location: 111 W. Monroe, Ste. 300, Phoenix
Size: 19,300 SF
Value: $983,698
Start/Completion: Oct. 2017/Jan. 2018
Why it’s awesome: Solera had the vision of providing a unique urban environment for their employment base. The entire team executed flawlessly, combining the rawness and historical elements of the building with a modern design, delivering one of the most abstract office spaces in the entire valley with an open floor plan, huddle spaces spread throughout, and a dedicated patio.
Southland Industries
General Contractor: Nitti/Graycor
Architect: SmithGroup
Brokerage firm: Savills-Studley (Southland), Metro Commercial (Papago Buttes Corporate Plaza)
Location: 1500 N. Priest, Ste. 114, Tempe
Size: 10K SF
Value: $1 million
Start/Completion: Sept. 2014/Feb. 2015
Why it’s awesome: Open, collaborative, funky & and functional, this office can host meetings with 50 people, or reconfigure for smaller, intimate groups. Office features actual reclaimed barnwood on the walls along with graphics from actual Southland blueprints.
Houzz
General Contractor: Sonoran Crest Construction
Architect: Phoenix Design One (PDO)
Brokerage firm: Cousins
Location: 80 E Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe
Size: 33,059 SF
Value: $1.4 million
Start/Completion: Feb. 2018/May 2018
Why it’s awesome: Each meeting room was given to a team of Houzz employees to design with a theme of a room or space you’d find in a home. The teams were able to morph a blank space into a really unique meeting space. Who else has a functional meeting room with a bathtub in it? Also, the Houzz folks incorporated a lot of little family touches – the employee’s children created artwork for the kids room and they also incorporated a family photo wall in their main space.
