Innovation Hub at FactSet Headquarters / Photo by Andrew Rugge, Perkins Eastman
Norwalk, CT – FactSet Research Systems Inc. has a new headquarters in Norwalk, designed by global architecture and design firm Perkins Eastman.
Thoughtfully planned with the financial software and technology firm’s tenets in mind – and recently honored with a 2020 AIA Connecticut Business Architecture Award of Excellence – the 173,164sf relocation is an inclusive, flexible, and sustainable workplace.
FactSet’s goal for the relocation was to cultivate an innovative workspace that reflected the firm’s team-oriented culture and global brand. In addition, the new headquarters had to demonstrate the firm’s expanding international identity alongside its vibrant urban location in Norwalk.
To implement this vision, the team engaged a cross section of employees – “Ambassador” and “Leadership” representatives – using strategic visioning workshops, employee interviews, on-site observational studies, and a user survey to collect data and facilitate consensus building.
Rather than a traditional hierarchical environment, FactSet’s headquarters features a variety of flexible work “neighborhoods” located across five floors. Each neighborhood is highly adaptable and tailored to the particular needs of each FactSet department, a direct result of on-site observations.
Incorporated throughout the workplace are biophilic elements, including live plantings, green walls, and natural materials and textures, to emphasize a connection with nature. Another key feature of the design lies in the intentionality of locating shared amenity spaces – such as an outdoor terrace, lounge, gaming area, café, and conference center -on the penthouse level.
Ensuring the workspace was focused on health and wellbeing was critical, as well. To do so, the design team worked with BranchPattern, a building consultancy firm dedicated to creating high-performance, environmentally- conscious, human-centered spaces.
Additionally, the office is outfitted with a daylight harvesting control system developed by ONELUXStudio. The system provides energy-efficient LED light fixtures throughout the space that are dimmed when natural light is available.
Further sustainable features include water-saving fixtures in the restrooms and pantries, task chairs made from recycled materials, low VOC carpet tile with a low environmental impact, and recycled steel. Thanks to these environmentally- friendly measures, FactSet’s headquarters has an EnergyStar Score of 85, placing the building’s energy performance in the top 15% of commercial office buildings in a similar climate.
The team moved into 45 Glover Avenue in December 2019.
