CREJ

26 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / December 2018 Prologis: Move to LoDo Fosters Communication W hen warehouse p owe r hou s e Prologis, the world’s leader in logistics real estate, decided to relo- cate their operational head- quarters from the outskirts of Denver to a historic and artsy micro district in Den- ver’s urban core, they put a stake in the ground, thereby initiating a paradigm shift that would re-energize their workforce and re-establish their Denver operations. Building on the momen- tum generated from the sig- nificant change in location, Prologis decided to rethink everything about their work- place. They wanted a space that would break down silos and bring people to- gether, be casual and contextual to Denver while representative of their global footprint, celebrate who they are and what they do, and ultimately a space that leaves a lasting impression of “global, world class and cool.” The Dairy Block, once home to the prominent 1800s era Windsor Dairy, has been transformed into a multiuse development with office, regionally ex- clusive retail and curated hospitality spaces. As the anchor tenant, Prologis is at the epicenter of what’s new and trending in Denver. This relocation of al- most 300 people adds to the energy of the neighbor- hood and pushes forward the transformation of this historic downtown area. To understand how to create a space that would deliver, the Gensler design team reframed the de- sign process and engaged with Prologis through a series of focus groups, interviews, workflow analy- sis, benchmarking, utilization studies and surveys to collect qualitative and quantitative data that would come together to establish an informed and trans- formational workplace strategy. The design concept focuses on a 100 percent open plan that fosters con- nectivity and serendipitous interactions of teams. With large floor plates, upwards of 36,000 square feet, all employees are together on two floors. The workspaces are filled with natural light and an open ceiling creates a sense of volume and open- ness. A variety of individual, collaborative and com- munal spaces are layered into the planning strate- gy to create and define neighborhoods while giving people choice of where and when to work. Central to the plan and adjacent to the main reception is a large gathering space that can be transformed for all-hands meetings, presentations, special event, and casual collaborative work. A monumental stair anchors the space and provides a direct connection to a coffee bar and a variety of formal and casual spaces on the floor above. Michelle Liebling, NCIDQ, IIDA, LEED AP Design Principal, Gensler End User A variety of individual, collaborative and communal spaces are layered into the planning strategy to create and define neighborhoods Prologis decided to rethink everything about their workplace.