HLW Unveils Design for Human Body-Inspired Life Science Workspace
Credit: Mike Van Tassell
The global pharmaceutical company, Eisai, opened a headquarters at ON3, a high-tech bio-ecosystem located in Nutley, New Jersey. The goal was to provide a technologically advanced workspace with a commitment to innovation and health care and to deliver a dynamic environment for the roughly 1,300 employees.
HLW, an international architecture and design firm, handled the interior outfitting inspired by the human body. The design prioritized employee safety, collaboration, innovation, engagement, and health, and provided an array of amenities including a tech bar, auditorium, wellness suite, and top-floor coffee bar with views of the New York City skyline. Lab Design News spoke to Melissa Strickland, a principal at HLW, about the new headquarters.
Q: Could you please start by introducing yourself?
A: My name is Melissa Strickland, I’m a principal at HLW, and I specialize in corporate-commercial and workplace projects. I’ve been with the company since 2017 and have over 20 years of experience designing for a broad range of industries, including life sciences and pharmaceuticals, in the New Jersey area.
Q: Could you tell us more about the design process? What was it like from conception to execution?
A: Eisai’s previous headquarters comprised two separate buildings situated across campus from each other, which hindered easy movement and collaboration between teams. So, bringing everyone together under one roof presented the easiest answer to the challenge. The completed project is 15 stories tall and measures 350,000 square feet, a deviation from the four to six-story corporate campus buildings typically seen in the New Jersey suburbs. This unique layout allowed our team to promote movement throughout the building, a core principle that really shines through the interior design of each floor.
Q: Were there any foreseeable limitations or concerns during the design process? How were they addressed?
A: Our team began designing this project at the height of the pandemic in 2020, which posed unique challenges to every aspect of the design process.
Credit: Mike Van Tassell
One example: During the material selection phase, we left samples in the old Eisai offices for their team to come in and discuss among themselves. Then, we reconvened digitally a few days later to make final decisions. While difficult to navigate, I think these remote collaboration challenges allowed us to approach the project with a new perspective, integrating aspects of the new hybrid work paradigm into the space itself. This is best expressed in the first two floors of the project, which feature a coworking-style workspace that can easily accommodate and connect in-person and work-from-home employees. Each meeting room features simple, accessible technology to bring disparately located teams together, eliminating some of those old technology frustrations that can arise in spaces not outfitted for hybrid work style.
Q: What was the most rewarding part of the design process?
A: Designing this project was an opportunity for HLW to curate a space that promotes Eisai’s recently refreshed brand and culture, which was updated in part to attract and retain young talent. The client’s new outlook also translated into their aesthetic preferences for their site, and HLW was encouraged to push the envelope design-wise throughout the process. The resulting project reflects a modern way of working that embraces Eisai’s core values while opening up the workforce to new possibilities, including new technologies and workflows that optimize employee satisfaction and efficiency.
Q: How did sustainability inform your design?
A: The project is LEED, Fitwell, and WELL Building certified. Eisai wanted to reassure its employees that they are committed to sustainability (air quality and daylight harvesting were of particular interest to the client). They wanted to be mindful of the good bones of the existing structure so that a full demolition would not be necessary. For example, HLW kept the first two floors’ original terrazzo flooring, as well as the double-height atrium ceiling in the lobby and the large auditorium. Eisai was also mindful of the products used; if there was furniture from the old office that was a fit for the new space, HLW utilized that instead of discarding the old pieces and bringing in brand-new ones.
Q: How long did the project take to complete? Was it within your projection?
A: The project was completed over ten months, from March 2021 to January 2022. Despite construction issues caused by the pandemic, the time frame was only slightly held, as the original target for completion was December 2021.
Q: What feature of the headquarters was the most enjoyable to design? And what was the most challenging?
A: The building features expansive panoramic views from each floor, an element of the design that was a huge advantage but also a bit of a challenge to navigate. The building has glass on all sides to showcase the campus’s scenery. We thought it was important to provide everyone access to direct, natural sunlight but at the time we were challenged by the early COVID-19 response rule to maintain six-foot social distancing. Therefore, we established all of the workstations as six-foot-by-six-foot squares, separated by 42-inch partitions, to promote social distancing, which satisfies LEED credits without blocking the windows.
Q: How did the design support Eisai’s goals of creating a dynamic, technologically advanced work environment that cultivated innovation and dedication to healthcare?
Credit: Mike Van Tassell
A: The office features alternating collaborative hubs on every other floor to drive movement through the building, facilitating the cross-pollination of departments on various floors to spark conversation, collaboration, and innovation.
The first three floors of the building offer employees a dynamic array of amenities and work settings, enabling a balance of work and play that facilitates a productive and healthy working environment. A large barista café features various seating styles and access to an outdoor patio in the warmer months. A front-facing IT bar is equipped with booths and “Zoom rooms” for people to work in. Employees also have the option to gather in the learning and development center’s large, double-height breakout space, where employees interact with patients. The 15th floor provides a destination for employees to enjoy an outdoor terrace and views of New York City, with a second barista café that offers themed and specialty food service to differentiate from the offerings found on the ground floor. This floor also hosts a variety of upscale conference rooms for employees to utilize and showcase to clients.
Q: What was the inspiration to have the human body influence the design? How was that executed?
A: This project presented a unique opportunity to incorporate human anatomy, the core of Eisai’s business, into the design of the structure. Two large floors at the base of the building act as its legs, providing a sturdy foundation which gradually opens up as to panoramic views of New York City on the 15th floor. We layered each portion with this concept in mind, resulting in the two top floors featuring a common employee area and coffee bar that acts as the brain of the office, the big functioning hub of activity and ideas. The rest of the floors act as a supportive spine, layered with alternating meeting rooms and collaborative floors to break it up evenly.
Q: The headquarters offers a menu of amenities, how did these come about, and what is your favorite?
A: We wanted the amenities package to cater directly to both Eisai’s employees and their function as a company. My personal favorite is the patient suite located on the ground floor of the project. It provides a direct line from patients to staff. Even though the project has no R&D or lab work functions, employees are required to spend about one percent of their time, equating to three days a year, in the space directly interacting with patients. This important environment presents an opportunity for employees to connect with the population their company serves, and it serves as a great pillar of company culture.
Q: Are there any standout design features that make this design unique?
Credit: Mike Van Tassell
A: As I mentioned, a 15-story building in the suburbs is quite a unique sight. The development that Eisai’s new office is in, the ON3 Campus, is specific to life sciences, so employees will benefit from the incubator-like, high-tech bio-ecosystem that is present on the large campus. Additionally, with neighbors including Quest Diagnostics, Seton Hall, and Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, the ON3 campus provides a plethora of opportunities to interact with talent working across the industry.
Q: Is there anything you would like to add or mention?
A: The location of the office was purposefully chosen––New Jersey is an emerging epicenter for the global biopharmaceutical industry, and has been steadily growing its life sciences and biotech market over the last few years. Though Eisai was previously headquartered in New Jersey, the office’s new location in Nutley is home to arguably one of the strongest talent pools for life sciences in the country as a result of the growth in the sector.