Perkins and Will recently designed the new offices of Spreetail, a disruptive retail start-up on the cutting edge of e-commerce. Perkins and Will transformed a former bar in a prominent historic building in Austin, Texas into a new, exciting space that would both support Spreetail's rapidly growing team and build upon the company's dynamic and youthful culture.
Spanning an impressive three levels, the Spreetail office features bold and branded design highlights complemented by a host of state of the art amenities. Perkins and Will was able to conceptualize a space that underscores Spreetail's company values, reinforced through consistent branding and clever design elements that both accentuate the space and enhance the day-to-day employee experience. Preserving as much of the existing building shell as possible, the firm designed an office that successfully melds the structure's old charm with today's modern workplace amenities.
Spreetail's brand is clearly reflected before visitors even set foot in the space, with large bay windows that offer a glimpse into the front of the office. The reception area boasts a neon Spreetail sign and colored graphics, with a wooden architectural sculptured ceiling making a statement. A lounge, mezzanine, and all-hands area greet employees immediately following the reception, all prominently featuring Spreetail's signature colors: turquoise, aqua, and coral. The otherwise industrial backdrop provides an interesting contrast.
Comfortable seating throughout welcomes guests and serves as a multipurpose area for talent recruitment, interviews, and training sessions. The all-hands atrium space is outfitted with bespoke hammocks to promote relaxation, tiered rows of benches, and casual bean bag chairs. This space is denoted by shipping container-inspired breakout areas intended for collaboration. A mezzanine break room features a distressed Austin mural on a brick wall, connecting the office to its locale.
Spreetail's second and third floors house the majority of employee workstations, which are set in an open plan concept. These levels have a designated coffee bar along with phone, huddle, and conference rooms for privacy. Both the second and third floors have atriums at their centers, allowing access to daylight. Each level of the office features its own color palette and graphical theme falling within the Spreetail brand color scheme, to differentiate the floors.
Photography: Casey Dunn