The Arcadis team has set up shop at The Plaza Coral Gables, a new urban development spanning 6.7 acres in the heart of Coral Gables, Florida, just outside of Miami. The company specializes in sustainable design, engineering, and consulting services for natural and built assets around the world, and needed space for its Miami employees. Arcadis is already familiar with shaping environments and subsequent infrastructure to meet a variety of business needs and challenges, so it was a natural choice to entrust the design to its soon-to-be occupants and architectural team. The new 7,500-square-foot office was built with the needs of the workplace of the future in mind, reflecting Arcadis' commitment to innovation and sustainability.
The design team took cues from nature and the cityscape, and applied their unique and deep understanding of hospitality design to create a space that is warm, inviting and comfortable.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a 15' x 42' warm wood screen, alluding to the natural atmosphere that unfolds beyond the foyer. Once inside, the eye is naturally drawn to the custom light fixtures and natural greenery that add an organic element to the environment.
To one side of the office, a modern pantry space and kitchenette encourage collaboration and socializing around an oversized island that seats a large group at the table. Wooden ceilings, wall-to-wall cabinetry and custom carpeting with a leaf-like pattern continue the natural interior design motif.
Across the street, a row of workstations are set behind wooden dividers that separate the spaces and allow natural light in.
Transparency and collaboration were two main points considered in the design process, so there are few completely isolated areas: even the meeting rooms are enclosed with glass doors and walls to ensure privacy while maintaining visibility and spatial continuity.
Though hybrid work has become much more prevalent, Arcadis still believes in the importance of working from the office. “The cornerstone of our success is collaboration and relies on engagement, reflection, connection and creativity, which can be difficult to achieve remotely,” said Dan Freed, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, business unit director, US Eastern. “Face-to-face interaction is essential to creating a productive and satisfying team culture. Our Miami team has created a comfortable and inspiring work environment that fosters their creative vision. We are confident that our Coral Gables office will provide the perfect environment for our accomplished team to grow professionally and continue to deliver exceptional service to our clients for the next 20 years.”
For more information about the company, including its philosophy, visit arcadis.com.
Senior Contributing Editor Vy Yang is obsessed with finding ways to live rich, intentionally through design. You'll likely find her sharing her finds on her Instagram Stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.