Bulova World Headquarters – New York City
Corgan was engaged by watch brand, Bulova, to design their world headquarters located in New York City, New York.
After having occupied their existing space for over 30 years, Bulova, the oldest watch brand designer in the United States sought out Corgan to design their new headquarters. They coined their previous space the “concrete bunker” and challenged Corgan to design a headquarters that conveyed the pure energy of New York City, could be iconic and felt like art. Bulova’s original environment was closed off, significantly lacked natural daylight, and was not at all conducive to the creative and collaborative culture the company had cultivated.
Corgan sought designers that would make customers, distributors, and international partners want to visit and collaborate with their design and sales teams. The centerpiece of the design is a 30-foot in diameter commissioned floor mural in the reception lobby that showcases the face of Bulova’s most iconic timepiece, Accutron. Large circular pendant lights integrate with the exposed structure of the ceiling, alluding to the intricate inner workings of a timepiece. Art deco inspired design details, such as crown molding and decorative metal panels, are reimagined in a fresh way to pay homage to the history of the building, while also speaking to the innovative nature of the company. Efficient in square footage and function, stadium seating accommodates seating for the whole company while also serving as a great place to work away from your desk. Dynamic lounge areas throughout the space foster employee engagement, not only with the environment but with each other by giving employees flexibility in where and how they may work with peers and customers.
Transparency and functionality were accomplished by designing open workspaces with low panels, providing an uninterrupted horizon of view while maximizing the views of New York. Offices and conference rooms are located along the interior core with transparent, demountable partitions allowing natural light, flexibility and sound mitigation. Collaboration spaces are located off the main path of travel to increase knowledge of what each department is working on. The result is a creative working environment for employees that achieved Empire State LEED Gold Requirements for tenants. In addition to the functionality of the space, high-end showrooms provide an environment appropriate to host customers and display product. These branded spaces are essential to support a unique approach to design and sales.
Designer: Corgan
Photography: Kurt Griesbach
