Cushman + Wakefield

Cushman + Wakefield (C+W), a global real estate services firm employing over 50,000 people across 400 offices in 60 countries, sought to consolidate several of these offices into a new building in a premier location in San Diego, California. They wanted to use this consolidation as an opportunity to challenge traditional work styles and migrate to a live-work model with no permanent assigned work areas for employees.  Through a visioning session with Gensler, C+W learned they wanted their new space to be lifestyle-inspired, open, fluid, inviting, and familial. They desired an energetic atmosphere that focused on community.

In public areas, the occupants desired the flexibility to transition from day-to-day, smaller meeting environments to large meetings or celebrations. For the more individual workspaces, “Cushman + Wakefield was ready to transition to a progressive, nomadic style, and having free address workspace,” said Ashley Thaxton, Interior Designer, Gensler.

C+W engaged Henricksen, their long-term partner, and dealer on record, to uncover furniture solutions that would support these initiatives. Heather Fanelli, Account Executive at Henricksen, shared, “Every Cushman + Wakefield office is different, and we knew we would have to present something forward-thinking for this space.”

“As a firm with a people-first philosophy, we are committed to offering dynamic workspaces that reflect our brand impact and values to inspire employees and clients. We sought to create a destination for connecting people and culture,” said Ashley Arthur, Director of Project Management, Corporate Real Estate, Cushman + Wakefield. “Transitioning to 100% hoteling supported our company objectives, but we also needed to make sure everyone had a place to land and felt comfortable in this new work environment.”

Gensler and Henricksen supported C+W’s change management strategies to relieve the stress of transitioning from assigned to unassigned desking. Renderings of the space provided a visual of the new office. At the same time, mock-ups and hosted walkthroughs at local showrooms relieved staff concerns and drove enthusiasm for this new way of working. “Henricksen is a valued partner; working with them is delightful.,” said Arthur. “They are with you from the beginning to the very end.”

The thoughtfully divided space provides layers of liveliness that transition to privacy. “The entry is vibrant and full of energy,” said Thaxton, “and as you move back to the open office, you are in a more focused work mode.”

The entry features three different lounges and a communal area with a bar. The “Arena” – an expansive, collaborative space directly adjacent to the café, provides a variety of tables, both standard height and bar height, lounge areas, and supports the reception functions for guests. “We wanted to provide different functional areas and create different moods for the occupants to choose from,” said Thaxton. “Nearby, there are also three reservable conference rooms for client-facing meetings that provide a more formal, private environment.”

As you move to the back-of-house, you encounter the hoteling workspace environment that provides sit-to-stand desks and locker banks for personal storage. Sprinkled throughout the workspaces are focus rooms, huddle and conference rooms, and more collaboration areas with lounge-style furniture.

The project did experience some delays due to the supply chain and labor shortages. “Everything went on hold because of the pandemic,” shared Thaxton. “When the project restarted, the Henricksen team had to reissue all the pricing, but they understood the complexities and navigated it gracefully.”

After completing the project and the staff returned to the office, C+W realized they needed more collaboration space and less individual workspace. They again worked with Henricksen to make space for more breakout areas in San Diego.