Project overview: The NOBULL Headquarters project exemplifies the essence of the Boston-based startup, centered on a no-frills ethos and the cultivation of a strong bond between the brand and its users. Situated within a repurposed Boston Globe printing facility in Dorchester, this 70,000-square-foot space allowed for a resource-efficient transformation while preserving its industrial character. NOBULL’s new headquarters embodies their values and commitment to the CrossFit community, providing a flexible and sustainable space for growth, collaboration, and inspiration.
The ethos of NOBULL is in the brand name. The architecture needed to empower people to perform at their best. Our design for the new headquarters space aims to serve both as an inspiration for the company’s employees as well as a social and educational space for the CrossFit community and the public at large. This required flexible space layouts and a variety of work areas. Organizing the spaces around a walking track to connect the various programmatic areas, the modular layout seamlessly integrates open workspaces and perimeter conference rooms, offering adaptability for future expansion or subdivision.
Embodying NOBULL’s “no-frills” attitude, the fitout planning was governed by a “light” approach where the new partitioning of the existing space is kept to a minimum to maintain the existing open, industrial character of the raw space. The design takes on a “back-to-basics” aesthetic concept for the space, using the existing shell space for a light-handed intervention with substantial use of natural materials to create a forward-thinking and eco-conscious workspace reflective of the client’s commitment to sustainable values.
Project location: Boston, Massachusetts
Firm name: Studio Luz Architects
Architect of Record: Studio Luz Architects, Ltd.
Completion: 2022
Jury comments: Great reuse of an existing building with materials which consider carbon footprint and sustainability. Great integration of active lifestyle culture into a workspace. Strong overall design and good juxtaposition of dark interiors with bright natural light piercing through the space.
Images/Photographer(s): Jane Messinger General Contractor: Lee Kennedy Specifications: Kalin Associates Structural: Rist-Frost-Shumway Engineering Mechanical: BLW Engineers Electrical: BLW Engineers Plumbing: BLW Engineers Acoustics: Eremos Landscaping: Design Under Sky Lighting: CLI Design Climbing Wall Designer: Eldorado Climbing
