DW Fritz

DW Fritz’s new headquarters is envisioned as a little village within a warehouse, where indoor spaces emulate outdoor spaces and daylight and nature are treated as essential workplace amenities. Access to windows is prioritized throughout the building, and skylights in the high warehouse-style ceilings provide a bright, airy environment where employees – and the abundant indoor greenery – can thrive.

This adaptive reuse project celebrates the contrast between the fresh, pure forms of the new and the grit and texture of the old; exposed ceilings and mechanical elements and the unique wear patterns of the old warehouse concrete serve as a backdrop to abstract indoor shed structures, bold colors, and CLT detailing of the modern office spaces. At 54,000 sf, this new headquarters accommodates DW Fritz’s office and manufacturing functions, allowing a greater confluence and connection between the work of both.

The most distinctive aspect of DW Fritz’s design are the indoor “sheds,” which provide private offices, huddle rooms, and secure conference and meeting rooms of varying sizes and are connected by a sequence of pathways and platforms. The negative spaces formed by the strategic arrangement of these sheds are in turn utilized for open-air collaboration and flex space, kitchen and recreation areas, and more informal gathering and work areas for employees.