Client: athenahealth, Inc.

Scope: 130,000 sf of flexible work space for an IT company

Athenahealth’s new regional office in Atlanta, Georgia occupies the top two floors of the historic Sears, Roebuck, and Co. building, located at the nexus of five established Atlanta neighborhoods, known as Ponce City Market. The interventions into the space are deliberately restrained, deferring to the monumental scale of the cast-in-place concrete. Large openings with heavy timber and steel stairs flank either end of a central backbone, establishing a visual connection between the floors; thus, effectively joining them together into a cohesive space. On the top floor, the 18-foot columns allow a series of mezzanine spaces to be linked by a catwalk, offering areas for individuals and small groups to work. Running the length of the backbone, the catwalk doubles as a balcony during office “all-hands” meetings. The multiple layers of activity flowing through the backbone are choreographed to encourage chance encounters and reinforce a sense of community.  

Materials: Concrete, steel, glass, wood

Photographer: Darlene DeVita Photography