PROJECT HISTORY
Will Ahmed, founder of WHOOP, was a Harvard undergraduate squash player when he became fascinated with the idea of unlocking human potential and understanding exactly how athletes’ bodies are behaving. Upon graduating, he launched WHOOP, a high-tech R&D start-up company, to develop a device that uses sophisticated, ground-breaking biotechnology to help athletes maximize performance. Unlike other technology-infused athletic wristbands, WHOOP takes a wide variety of complex measurements that provide wearers with previously unavailable information about their bodies’recovery, strain, and sleep.
WHOOP was recently named number one in wellness on Fast Company’s list of “The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” for “bringing pro-level science to everyday athletes.”
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Ahmed and his management team selected Elkus Manfredi Architects to design WHOOP’s new headquarters. They wanted the workplace to speak to the athletic nature of their business; provide ample, flexible, and transparent hi-tech workspace; and offer a variety of formal and informal meeting/collaborative spaces for staff and client entertaining. Equally important – the office needed to accommodate facilities to assemble and test the product in development. The result is an office that seamlessly incorporates a hi-tech workplace, gym, and light manufacturing facility. A clean, modern, minimal aesthetic projects the youthful energy, physical involvement, and entrepreneurial spirit of the company, while a direct view of baseball’s legendary Fenway Park provides daily inspiration.
DESIGN CHALLENGES
- Transparency was the single most important design element required by the company founder.
- The workspace needed to function as an office while also performing as a testing site for the biotechnology in development.
- Space for light manufacturing and assembly was required.
- In addition to testing the wristband, WHOOP’sactive staff wanted access to the gym at all times.
- Areas for relaxation were requestedto encourage staff to get away from their desks.
- A washer and dryer were required adjacent to the gym for towels used during workouts.
- The view of Fenway Park was to dominate the interiors.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
- When first entering the new WHOOP headquarters, visitorsexperience the space asboth an office and a gym.Immediately visible are a gracious, daylight-filled reception area, a living room/showroom area, a bank of exercise machines, a glass-walled conference room, and outside the window – Fenway Park.
- The transparency valued by the company’s founder is expressed with open views of offices, exercise areas, meeting rooms, and Fenway Park.
- The office’s fresh, modern design is underscored by open ceilings and polished concrete floors.
- After canvassing the staff, WHOOP decided that the workstations would be sit-to-stand.
- Key members of the WHOOP staff visited several furniture dealers in the area to help select the workstation chairs used in the space.
- A large café equipped with healthy, tempting snacks and cold-brew coffee is always open to the staff.The café is the chosen location for company meetings.
- Couches are located throughout the office to allow staff to escape their desks or exercise machines and recharge while enjoying the view of Fenway Park.
- A saturated shade of red – the original WHOOP brand color – is used as an accent, bringing energy and contrast to the predominant white of the interiors.
Material Used :
1. Acoustical Ceiling Tile: Armstrong, Tectum Inc., Robin Reigi
2. Carpet: Shaw Contract Group, Interface, Bloomsburg- TUVA
3. Paint: Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore
4. Window Shades: MechoSystems
5. Solid Surfaces: Caesarstone
6. Tile Flooring: Johnsonite
