ON RUNNING NORTH AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS
Celebrating Innovation, Global Collaboration & The Retail Experience
Nestled in the vibrant heart of Portland’s Pearl District, the On Running Headquarters stands as a testament to On's brand ethos of innovation, global collaboration, and honest materiality. As a founder-driven company with an incredibly strong vision, the primary goal of the headquarters is to attract talent and instill On Running's culture across the rapidly growing team through aesthetic and experiential consistency.
CLIENT
On Running
LOCATION
Portland, OR
YEAR
2022
INDUSTRY
Workplace
Spanning 56,000 square feet across two floors, the headquarters blend European sensibility with Portland’s irreverent creativity.
Celebrating the Retail Experience
Within their office, On envisioned a space where they could host retail buyers and facilitate sales presentations with a retail-like experience within their office environment.
The space needed to be visually show stopping, incredibly functional and supremely comfortable, just like On Running’s shoes & gear.
To offer a signature On experience, we combined the best of all words — enter through the magical mirrored pivot door, bask in the best light in the building, enjoy a coffee at the monolithic, yet inviting micro-kitchen and browse the many retail displays, including On’s “magic boards” of shoes.
The visually striking mirrored glass pivot door that greets you was deemed “impossible” to build, yet we persisted. It is the largest pivot door of its kind, butter smooth to operate and ADA compliant.
At every stage of the project, we made design decisions that reflect the company's signature shoe aesthetics, so we could craft a workplace that serves as an extension of the On Running brand. Bridging their shoes, retail and workplace — to create a cohesive visual and experiential expereince that permeates every aspect of the company's presence.
A Culture of Innovation & Honest Materiality
On Running has a visceral commitment to cutting edge design in their shoes and athletic gear. To exemplify that commitment, we explored many innovative designs for their headquarters.
The most notable material choice is the extensive use of 3M Blaze film overlayed with floating chrome dipped steel grates. This dynamic material palette creates a mesmerizing, ever-changing kaleidoscope of color and light, evoking a sense of movement and fluidity.
The monolithic stairs to the right & below were built from 1/2 inch steel plates and invites you towards the “Strava Gem” a dramatic 3D light sculpture that depicts the Wildwood Trail, a cherished local running path.
On Running's headquarters was designed to embrace the company's ethos of material honesty and minimal processing. We leaned heavily into utilitarian materials like steel, concrete and local maple wood. And, further, we visually embraced the existing shell of the office and overhead systems.
A Global Workspace
We prioritized fostering a healthy, engaging, and supportive work environment for On’s global team. From thoughtful ergonomics: there are 8 different available desk designs available, to the global consistency of experience — even the coffee makers are the same as in Zurich! — the space inspires easy creativity, collaboration, and a strong sense of community, no matter your home office.
And to enable real-time global experiences, we installed an 18 foot video wall that enables global all-hands meetings as well as passive “windows” into other On offices worldwide.
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