The staff of Internet start-up retailer Jet.com had been working for long months in a crowded incubator space and were ready to have a home of their own that reflected the work habits and developing culture of their new company. Bringing to life the driving passion and relentless innovation of the founders, this new headquarters occupies a full floor of a freshly-built building on the waterfront in Hoboken, New Jersey with panoramic views of Manhattan and the Hudson River.
IA’s design concept for the space grew out of the client’s business model of combining products together in distinctive packaging for shipping. We envisioned their iconic cardboard box unfolding to form the cross-shaped core of built areas, with the remaining space forming four generous quadrants, each of which occupies a corner of the building and houses up to 70 full-time staff.
Visitors enter via a low-lit elevator lobby which sets the tone for the space via a palette of reclaimed wood, chalkboard paint and honed concrete. A spiraling band of Jet.com’s signature purple color leads visitors into the reception area, ending at a faceted metallic desk backed by a rewards wall lined with the names of select early adopters. Stretched out under an open wood grid ceiling, comfortable lounge seating and games including a purple felt pool table make for a waiting area that feels anything but corporate.
A set of perforated metal bleachers forms a backdrop, supporting an illuminated logo sign while still allowing a view of the Manhattan skyline. For large events, they can be rolled aside on rails to create a combined space with the adjacent café area. Like many tech companies, food plays a central role in Jet.com’s culture and the location of a generous and well-stocked eating area adjacent to the main reception reflects this.
The company’s main working groups are organized into teams which each have a superhero mascot. In the open work areas, groups of 8 sit/stand desks are arranged in clusters to support these units. Each area features a central round table for impromptu collaboration and a convenient whiteboard for notes, while an adjacent enclosed booth allows for mini-meetings. The Jet.com brand is reinforced by colorful large-scale floor graphics and custom object displays such as a bike and surfboard in their signature purple. Other workers are accommodated at individual desks, communal work counters and informal soft seating throughout the space, allowing them to choose from a wide range of work environments and styles.
Meetings and focused work take place in huddle and conference rooms which continue the superhero theme, each with individually-customized furniture, materials and graphics reflecting an element from the world of one of the characters. A sizeable boardroom for large meetings doubles as a library and quiet work space when not in use, and tucked away nearby is a hidden customer experience lab, accessed via a space fitted out to resemble a residential living room. End users are invited into this suite to try new features and provide feedback under discreet observation.
On any given day you can see a variety of work styles and activities in progress – in one of the open area clusters, a team gathers at the table to brainstorm, sketching out a diagram on their whiteboard. Nearby there is a spirited one-on-one conversation between two staffers sitting in wing-back chairs. On the bleachers individuals type away on their laptops, or just take in the spectacular city view. Everyone gets to do their thing in their own way, and somehow the result is uniquely Jet.
Material Used :
1. Furniture: Soapbox, WB Wood
2. Lighting: Lukas Lighting
3. Millwork: Corporate Millworking
4. Paneling: Terra Mai
5. Wallcoverings: Mirror NYC
