MPA Designs Forrester Research’s New HQ by Janet Morra

Cambridge, MA – Margulies Perruzzi Architects (MPA) recently completed a sustainably designed and open office space for one of its repeat clients: Forrester Research moved into its new 190,000sf corporate headquarters at Cambridge Discovery Park in Cambridge. The office is expected to achieve a LEED® Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
An independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology, Forrester had outgrown its former home at 400 Technology Square in Cambridge and sought a space that could accommodate its flexible work style and growth needs.
MPA provided interior architecture and corporate design services for Forrester’s new six-story headquarters at Cambridge Discovery Park.
During the design process, MPA worked with Forrester to conduct in-house research and solicit feedback from the entire company, and then translate that information into a workable architectural program.
“The Margulies Perruzzi Architects (MPA) team has brought enthusiasm and creativity to our largest design project yet, and we are excited by the distinctive design features and functionality of our new corporate headquarters,” said Jean Baranowski, vice president of corporate services at Forrester Research. “Having worked together for ten years on multiple projects, MPA understands our collaborative culture and flexible work style, as well as the importance of sustainability to our company. As a result, they have designed a relevant, welcoming space for our clients and employees that enhances Forrester’s physical brand.”
Built specifically for Forrester, the new base building was designed by ADD Inc. with MPA collaboration. Forrester’s new headquarters emphasizes a connection to the green outdoor space adjacent to the building. The building overlooks a newly restored “Urban Wild,” a naturalistic designed landscape that can be used for recreational purposes. Forrester’s office was designed to provide views of nature to everyone: all enclosed rooms are on the interior, and the perimeter windows are accessible to all employees and guests. In addition to product specification and recycling that will fulfill LEED Gold certification, the project will also achieve a 35% reduction in water use and a 35% reduction in lighting power, due to the use of LED lighting and daylight harvesting.
Embracing an alternative workplace design with no private offices, the new headquarters features an open workspace with workstations clustered around white-board clad team rooms, creating neighborhoods to foster collaboration. In addition to the team rooms distributed around the space, there are quiet rooms for concentrated work and larger glass-fronted team rooms clustered at the center of each floor. Two kitchen/lounge areas located next to each of the glass-enclosed egress stairs are key to the collaborative nature of each floor. Forrester’s new office also features a café and workshop/conference center.
For Forrester, the conference room experience is critical for a company without private offices, and a larger conference space with enhanced audiovisual capability was essential for staff to leverage technology while communicating with Forrester offices around the world. Forrester’s conference center resides on the first and second floors for client convenience and staff privacy, and includes 17 conference rooms of varying sizes with videoconferencing and future telepresence capabilities. It also includes a large multi-purpose room for client seminars and company-wide meetings. Forrester’s new conference center provides the highest level of technology integration, facility flexibility, and client amenities, which will allow Forrester to continue to provide a superior level of client service.
MPA and Forrester have collaborated for over 10 years on multiple projects, including the recent design of Forrester’s New York City and San Francisco offices.
Janet Morra, AIA, LEED AP, is a principal at Margulies Perruzzi Architects.