When your passion for design and love for animals collide, there’s not a bad day at the office.
Instinct by Nature’s Variety is a pet food company committed to health and wellness – for pets and people. As the company prepared for growth, Instinct had an opportunity to reimagine their existing workplace to increase collaboration and celebrate their pet-loving culture.
A Space Lacking Identity
Instinct’s original St. Louis office was compartmentalized with traditional perimeter offices and mismatched cubicles. Large offices claimed most of the square footage, blocking natural light and reducing opportunities for collaboration and natural collisions. It was a beige, tall-paneled space devoid of any opportunity to collaborate or see the outside. Even the honorary office dogs thought these spaces were dreary!
With an existing lease and limited budget for renovation, Instinct worked with our design team to re-strategize their workspace. The goal was to create an open environment that promoted collaboration and reflected their animal-centric brand.
Before: Existing Workspace
Reworking Their Existing Space
Since Instinct already occupied the space, we began by identifying their programmatic needs and strategizing a phased renovation plan. This would allow the company to maintain daily operations while maximizing their leasable footprint. To accommodate plans for growth, we developed a solution that featured efficient individual workspaces with modern workstation options to increase capacity without sacrificing productivity and comfort.
In addition, the health benefits of natural light were also a key factor when reworking the Instinct’s workspace. Lowering walls to provide access to windows and the outdoors would reflect Instinct’s larger purpose of promoting health and wellness.
After: New Space Plan, Level 2
A Fun, Collaborative Design Solution
As the first phase began and we started moving employees out of walled-off private offices, we began to see a space that fit the Instinct culture. Large existing offices were right-sized as many teams moved to open workstations. The remaining perimeter offices utilized a new glass storefront system, allowing daylight to reach the core.
Also, new desking systems feature ergonomic layouts and offer privacy without hindering collaboration. The customizable workstations have adjustable height desks, accommodating both individual work styles and dog playpens to corral the more adventurous four legged employees. Further embracing Instinct’s love for animals, social and collaborative spaces offer amenities like built-in watering holes and treat tasting stations for Instinct’s target demographic.
Overall, the new workplace solution built a foundation for team interaction and cross-company collaboration in a wellness-based environment that supports Instinct’s company culture – values the company has carried with them while working from home.