Edmunds' Race-Inspired Workspace. The 93,000-sq. ft. headquarters, designed by Studios Architecture and completed last year, reflects Edmunds' youthful, innovative character. Campy, Speed Racer-style pinstripes line the floors, walls, and the central staircase connecting two of the building's three floors. The workspace itself is entirely nonhierarchical—not even the chief executive has a private office—and curves built into the walls and furniture echo those of the world's most treacherous racetracks.
"Here," says Steinlauf clicking a switch on the wall, "we have a functioning garage door." The large metal and glass door is pulled into the ceiling, revealing a conference room. Here, the door is shown rolled up. During particularly big meetings, Steinlauf says it's useful to be able to create more space, about another 300 square feet. "Also," he adds, "it's just kind of fun." (Refer to left first picture)
Otherwise anonymous corners and hallways have furniture and tables to encourage employees to meet and talk when they run into each other. "We wanted to encourage as much cross-pollination as possible," says Steinlauf, "as opposed to closing people off from one another." (Refer to bottom far right picture)
Each floor has its own dedicated coffee bar so that all employees have a kitchen area close to their desks. "We have three kinds of coffee, but it's never the right kind," jokes Steinlauf. Bathed in cool light, the coffee bars also serve as places to gather and communicate. (Refer to bottom centre picture)
Conference rooms are named after ultraluxury automobiles, such as Phantom, Maybach, and Bentley. The high-tech environments also feature projectors, configurable furniture on wheels, and a sophisticated scheduling system that can be retrieved through a touch-screen-enabled console, allowing employees to book meetings quickly. The walls are full-length whiteboards. (Refer to bottom left picture)
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