For Immediate Release
10/28/2016
Berkley Net at Innovation is a new three story office project for the Buchanan Partners, under construction by L.F. Jennings in Manassas Virginia. The building will total approximately 70,000 square feet and fashion a handsome exterior consisting of brick, metal panels, and glass. The building’s exterior architect is MGMA. L.F. Jennings will also be preforming work on the interior of the structure after the shell is completed. The interior includes a highly finished main lobby, spec suites on the first level and a modern interior office fit out on levels 2 and 3 for Berkely Net Underwriters [the primary tenant]. M Group is the architect for Berkely Net’s interior fit out.
Michael Timcheck from M Group says the biggest goal in designing Berkely Net’s space was to create a space that brought the entire Berkley Net team together. Currently they occupy three suites across two floors, and the staff was finding it difficult to collaborate. To bring the teams together, they created large destination spaces (a living room and an arena) that could accommodate everything from a simple Tuesday lunch to an all-hand type meeting. To support smaller collaborations, huddle and team rooms are also placed throughout the space.
While bringing everyone together was a goal, they did not want one vast open office space (a sea of workstations). Rather, ’neighborhoods’ for internal teams were created, and efficient and multiple means of circulations between these neighborhoods and the collaboration spaces are provided. These ‘neighborhoods’ allow staff to have a smaller home within the larger office space.
L.F. Jennings and M Group worked closely with Buchanan Partners and Berkley Net to develop the industrial aesthetic they desired, while maintaining a balance with typical office space needs. Concrete floors and metal finishes are warmed with pops of color and wood. Allowing the staff to have views to the outside and to let in as much natural light as possible was a crucial goal. MGMA, the base building architect, and M Group worked together to lower the sill height to maximize glazing.
Once completed Berkley Net’s new space will be a tool to help with recruiting and retaining the best and brightest. A primary idea behind this, was that a large number of workers want to be located outside of the busy Washington D.C. beltway. They want a fun space with a convenient location.
L.F. Jennings is excited to be a part of such a remarkable project, Innovation at Berkely Net is slated to finish in April of 2017.
For More Information:
Mike Killelea
L.F. Jennings, Inc.
Falls Church, Virginia
(703) 241-1200