SGA, a leader in architecture, interior design, planning, and virtual design and construction (VDC), has announced the opening of its new 20,000-square-foot headquarters in Boston. Designed for and by SGA’s creative team and leaning on 30+ years of experience partnering with the country’s leading developers, tenants, and academic institutions, the workspace reflects the firm’s workplace design expertise and its culture of creativity, sustainability, collaboration, and transparency.
Allowing the firm to showcase its forward-thinking approach to corporate and commercial interior design, SGA applied its cutting-edge strategies to create a flexible and adaptable environment that solves the needs of modern employees today—and in particular, its diverse and passionate team of world-class interior designers and architects.
“Our new Boston headquarters represents the culmination of decades of learning and experience, embodying our core values and supporting our culture of innovation and design excellence,” said Gable Clarke, LEED AP, NCIDQ, President of Interior Design and Partner at SGA. “By engaging our entire team in the process, from project managers and architects to operational staff, we were able to craft an environment that empowers every individual, supports a variety of workstyles, and exemplifies our commitment to sustainability and collaboration. It embodies our approach honed for the world’s most discerning tenants and leading organizations.”
SGA’s Boston office was developed through a deeply inclusive series of engagement exercises including a mix of analog processes, surveys, focus groups, and envisioning sessions. Just as SGA guides clients in change management for workplace moves, SGA applied its collaborative approach for its own office, ensuring that all voices across functions contributed to the design.
The dynamic and eye-catching result is a testament to the leadership and vision of Clarke, a partner of the firm and honoree of Boston Real Estate Times’ Top 10 Outstanding Women in Commercial Real Estate. Celebrating her 20th anniversary at the firm in 2024, Clarke’s guidance and her team’s vast experience partnering with world-class organizations was integral to the realization of this forward-thinking workplace.
“We designed our Boston headquarters to be an accessible environment rooted in shared spaces that enriches the human experience by empowering each employee across generations and tenure to leverage the physical workspace as an asset,” said Amanda Vicari, NCIDQ, Director and Senior Associate, Interior Design.
Featuring a blend of assigned and unassigned seating, the design foregoes a 1:1 ratio of people to desks, providing a larger percentage of space as “second” and “third” work zones including project rooms and focus rooms, amenity spaces, and meeting areas to support a variety of tasks, patterns, and neurodiversity. Lighting plays a crucial role in enhancing the ambiance, with a blend of natural light and modern fixtures that provide optimal illumination while contributing to the overall aesthetic. Greenery and natural surfaces throughout the space bring a touch of nature indoors, further contributing to the well-being and productivity of employees and aligning with wellness and biophilic design principles.
Consistent with SGA’s longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, the office incorporates sustainable materials and furnishings, underscoring the firm’s dedication to creating captivating and productive spaces that are built to inspire and endure for decades and beyond.
To explore more about the collaborative and inclusive process behind SGA’s new Boston headquarters, visit the blog series, Journey to 99 High.