The LS3P Raleigh team relocated to a new 19,500 SF office in Smoky Hollow, a revitalized downtown district in Raleigh, NC. The area, once a bustling industrial and transportation hub, now serves as a vibrant connection point within the city and region, integrating spaces for living and working. This new workplace is a first-generation upfit featuring large expanses of glass and two covered terraces on the building’s corners, offering unparalleled views of downtown Raleigh. The design emphasizes both internal and external connections, informed by workshops and surveys that highlighted their importance to the culture of the LS3P Raleigh staff.

The goal of the design was to create a destination that supports and enhances LS3P culture. The design solution involved ‘cutting back the office’ by pulling programmatic elements away from the perimeter, enhancing access to views and daylight, and maximizing access to corner terraces. One terraces is accessible through an open collaborative workspace and encourages employees to work outside, with furniture and strong Wi-Fi enabling it to function as an outdoor coworking space. The second terrace, accessed through a large employee break room, focuses on socialization and offers multiple seating options providing employees with options to work away from traditional desks.

The workplace itself prioritizes open, flexible spaces that foster collaboration and creativity. Workstations are arranged to maximize access to natural light and views, with minimal obstructions to create a sense of openness. Ergonomic furniture, quiet zones for focused work, and biophilic design elements like indoor plants and natural materials promote well-being and reduce stress in the environment. By incorporating materials that reflect Raleigh’s identity as the City of Oaks, such as the oak pergola and ribs that welcome visitors and employees, the project exemplifies a commitment to creating spaces that foster community, connection, and a sense of place.

In fact, the history of Smoky Hollow is honored through the naming of meeting spaces, using playful railroad slang and terms like Turntable and Smokebox, nodding to the area’s past as a low-lying neighborhood where smoke from steam engines would collect.