Photography by Garett Rowland, Image © Gensler
Atlanta, Georgia is a place where a reverence for Southern traditions and an embrace of global trends cozy up to one another. Contrasts and anachronisms can sometimes chip away at a city’s authenticity, but not in Atlanta. In some cases, the most unexpected recipes can yield the best results.
From tech hubs to an emerging visual arts scene, the city continues to evolve while maintaining its status as a vibrant metropolitan center and longtime music mecca. The key to keeping a city true to itself lies with each individual structure. A collection of individual spaces with character and history contribute to a city’s identity─no matter how quirky or unconventional.
West Midtown’s Miller Union Stockyards harmonizes the city’s industrial heritage and creative-class leanings. The revamped interior of a former slaughterhouse is now a multifaceted workplace for three inhabitants all in marketing and communications. Ad agency Fitzgerald & Co., brand experience group Momentum Worldwide, and PR and communications firm Weber Shandwick are all housed together in the 45,000-square-foot space.
The project was an opportunity to rethink the relationship between environment and activity. All the companies are part of marketing solutions giant Interpublic Group (IPG) and this is the first time everyone shares the same space. The wide-open workplace is a shift from the order and restraint of typical office spaces. The design works off an irregular column grid. The new layout now sparks new habits and invents more creative ways of working.
The design team explored three test-fit options for all the companies to coexist. One scheme fully separated each group and demarcated space accordingly. A second scheme offered a partial integration in the form of shared and centralized social and conferencing spaces but separated work areas. The final option proposed full integration where borders between groups were essentially non-existent.
Ultimately, the team worked with the tenants to create a plan that hybridized the full and partial schemes. The mostly open workspaces largely belong to individual companies, but conference rooms and huddle spaces are sprinkled throughout as shared amenities. The reception area, coffee bar, and third-floor lounge are also shared.
Photography by Garett Rowland, Image © Gensler