As Centene’s new East Coast Headquarters campus began to take shape – entirely coincidentally, during a global pandemic – the entire team knew the campus would be something special. The 80-acre forested site offered myriad opportunities to support a work environment rooted in wellness, flexibility, productivity, and collaboration. During a time of rapid change, Centene’s leadership leaned into a new paradigm for the workplace, and the landscape was a key part of the strategy to deliver a world-class campus to attract and retain its talented staff.

The early decision to design a campus that would harmonize with the wooded site, rather than cut and fill the site to adapt to a prescribed building, allowed a much more authentic integration of architecture and landscape. To maximize these opportunities, the landscape architects at LandDesign worked side-by-side with the architects at LS3P.  The experience of walking in the woods through filtered light from the canopy inspired the notion of “working in a treehouse.” Given the uniqueness of the opportunity, the entire team was on board with raising the bar for design excellence and exploring previously untested possibilities; as a result, showstopping landscape elements complement both the modern architectural aesthetic and new ways of working for the company.

The Interplay of Architecture and Landscape

As the architecture took shape and the large campus came into clearer focus, the opportunities for exciting landscape features multiplied. Defining moments within the natural environment harmonized with the form and function of the buildings: entry features, a lake amenity, a terrace by the food hall, yoga pavilions, and enticing interstitial spaces. Central water features (which are also certified BMPs) and boulders (ultimately sourced for free from a nearby building site) help to delineate nodes within the design, and a series of bridges and pathways weave the site and building elements together. An amphitheater nestled into the empty space underneath a cantilever provides a welcoming spot, rain or shine.

Fully Functional Outdoor Work Spaces

The massive central plaza at the heart of the campus was, for the landscape architects, akin to an interior design challenge. As such, the level of detail  was an intentional architectural expression befitting a fully integrated part of the program. This outdoor plaza anchors the campus community, and functions as a seamless extension of the interior. The wireless-everywhere campus eliminates friction for employees moving between indoor and outdoor work spaces. Every detail of the infrastructure – from integrated technology to convenience power sources to bollards designed to blend in with the architecture – is custom designed for convenience and aesthetics. The flexibility to choose a work environment that best suits the task at hand, with no interruption in server or network access, allows people to move freely from conference rooms to the central courtyard while remaining connected and productive.

Continuous Access to Nature, From a Trail or From a Window

The central plaza complements another significant outdoor amenity focused on connection: a network of campus greenway trails leading around and through the forested site. The trails underscore the invaluable benefit of providing easy access to nature, whether for walking meetings, a workout integrated into the workday, or just serene distance views. The greenway access and significant amount of green space are also key components of WELL accreditation for “enhanced access to nature.”

The ”treehouse” concept extended to carefully orchestrated framed views throughout the site, and led to a dedicated tree preservation effort that required near-surgical tree tagging precision. A typical project might require three or four illustrative views from various site perspectives; the Centene design includes upwards of 125 renderings. Preserving and creating these views from every part of the campus was particularly challenging with complex infrastructure and buildings that have no “back.” Nothing on the Centene campus is hidden; instead, every element is tailored to both beauty and function. Electrical infrastructure, duct banks, benches – every element is custom design to blend in with or enhance the landscape. Big moves such as stormwater retention ponds double as amenities that enhance the site; even pump houses for the water features are nestled into the landscape and integrated with plantings.

Making the Impossible Possible

A frequent saying on the new Centene campus is “It’s not impossible – it’s just never been done before.” A groundbreaking design begins with a foundation of trust, and that trust among all entities – Centene’s leadership, the designers and consultants, and the contractor – has grown over time. The aggressive schedule required  extreme attention to detail, and with the construction underway before the design was completed, the next “hot” item on the construction schedule became an all-hands-on-deck priority. Many elements of the campus required innovation to accomplish a design that looks simple, elegant, and harmonious; nothing has been left unstudied, and nothing has been installed without continuous alignment and coordination.

The unusual level of collaboration is evident in every project phase, from the earliest virtual presentations in March of 2020 to the ongoing checks and balances which led to the highest level of quality assurance. Through the challenges of fast-track construction, monumental scale, and evolving scope, the entire team has remained steadfast in “doing the right thing, not the easy thing.”

The result is a campus which encourages movement, fluidity between work modes, and new ways of thinking about work. Rooted in nature, supported by technology, and led by a company dedicated to a new future for the workplace, Centene’s East Coast Headquarters raises the bar for what “work” looks like for a new era- and it looks great.