Designed with Gensler and OpenSquare, created with partners FedEx Office, Steelcase and Philips Lighting, sets new standard for coworking spaces; modern and highly ergonomic setting fosters productivity and innovation.
Seattle, WA, January, 2017 — ATLAS Workbase, offering a new kind of sophisticated coworking space aimed at mature companies, small businesses, and the executive set including managers and consultants from industries such as retail banking, insurance, law, etc. that seek a more professional shared workspace experience, is set to launch its first coworking space at the end of the month. The first ATLAS Workbase is a 20,000-square foot facility at the Lumen Building located at 500 Mercer Street in the heart of Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. The company expects to announce several more facilities in Seattle, then Portland over the next 18 months as it begins its national roll-out.
ATLAS Workbases, designed in conjunction with Gensler and OpenSquare, and created with partners including FedEx Office®, Steelcase and Philips Lighting, deliver a high-end work environment married with a “Third Place” experience that is unmatched in the coworking space industry. This is in sharp contrast to established coworking spaces that generally cater to start-ups, and whose focus is on creating a fun and highly social experience.
“ATLAS Workbase sets the new standard in flexible, high-performance coworking spaces intentionally designed for global and mobile workforces that enhance productivity and innovation in a modern and highly ergonomic setting. With major investments in technology, acoustics, lighting, furniture, and design, ATLAS aims for the professional class with a sophisticated environment designed not just for working, but for getting business accomplished,” said Bill Sechter, ATLAS Workbase CEO. “We picture a day when the typical business person will book an airline ticket, a hotel, a car, and their office, and the first thing they are going be thinking about for their office is ATLAS Workbase,” continued Sechter.
The traditional work place just isn’t right for many businesses anymore, and companies are gravitating toward the coworking or flex workspace model for solutions. According to the CBRE Group’s 2015/2016 America’s Occupier Survey of 226 Americas-based corporate real estate organizations, more than 40 percent of respondents are using or considering shared workplaces.
There is an office renaissance happening. It isn’t just about sitting in a space; it is about everything that people need when sitting in a space,” said Lisa Arthofer, OpenSquare Vice President of Business Development. “ATLAS Workbase provides an ecosystem of spaces that allow people to choose how and where they use the space. What ATLAS is creating is very complex in execution, yet simple for the client. The design of the space enhances people’s cognitive, physical and social well-being – an innovation not seen in any other coworking environment,” continued Arthofer.
Separating ATLAS Workbases from the rest of the coworking space pack are four key elements: conceptually, ATLAS Workbases are built around a concierge service mentality and replicate the look and feel of modern executive airport lounges or clubs; they provide a dazzling array of space options/work habitats that meet short-term or long-term needs; they offer pay-for-use plans including single-day use passes, half day, and quarter day passes; with acoustics, technology, lighting and furniture that have been carefully integrated to enhance the experience.
When first entering ATLAS members or day users are met by concierge staff who help select the exact workstation/setting needed, concierge and add-on services they require that day to be ultra productive. Users can upgrade their meeting space requirements depending on the needs of the day.
“The ATLAS concept immediately creates a new sub category within the coworking space industry with its focus on high-end design, materials, and aesthetics. Atlas Workbase represents a more sophisticated environment in the quality and execution of technology, materials (palette). Everything is thoughtfully executed to enhance productivity, collaboration, and creativity,” said Susana Covarrubias, Principal, Design Director, Gensler Seattle.
ATLAS desks built by Steelcase include the Brody Workstation, Sit and Stand desks, and other high-end options. This ergonomic control goes beyond the furniture and design layout. Within many of the workspaces like the Brody Work Station and the Sit Stand desks, users can adjust the lighting atmosphere and technology used within the workspace. For example, some boardrooms include acoustical-based lighting by Philips Lighting, the first of its kind, here in the States.
Indeed, the choice of lighting, including natural and artificial, can have a significant impact on productivity. A study by the American Society of Interior Design indicated that 68 percent of employees complain about the lighting in their offices.
“Lighting influences everything in the workplace from employee comfort and collaboration to productivity and performance,” said Stacy Gillen, Head of End User Sales at Philips Lighting. “We partnered closely with ATLAS to augment its bold and unique work environment with an advanced lighting system designed to boost vitality, promote well-being and drive productivity, creativity and performance. For example, people can specify the lighting in a room to support a diverse range of daily activities based on the level of concentration and collaboration desired.”
At its Mercer Street facility, the layout includes The Concourse, offering many different settings suiting many different workstyles, starting at pre-opening rates of $229/month, with hourly packages, and centered around The Square, a shared “Third Place” for relaxed socializing, networking, and rejuvenation. The concierge and technical support staff—and the on-site FedEx Office Print & Ship Center—maintains an uninterrupted flow of business.
Also at Mercer Street, The Lounge combines the sophistication of a world-class airport lounge with the outstanding service of a top-level club, with monthly packages starting at $199 and entry level ¼ day passes for a user and guest for under $20. The Lounge provides a more casual, community open-seating environment with no reservations—perfect for informal meetings or a change of pace from the Concourse.
ATLAS also offers beautifully designed work spaces that are optimized for different levels of focus and private meetings, starting at $379/month, with hourly plan options; and Meeting and Board Rooms which are larger private spaces for free-flowing conversations and more focused communication, including easy-to-use teleconferencing and screen sharing options. Hourly rates start at $45 with discounts for members.
ATLAS Workbase supports its members with state-of-the art, deep and very hands-on technical support for most communication and computing devices, software, and network issues. All new members receive a technology set up and walk-through to ensure a great experience. ATLAS also offers the latest in technology including top-of-the-line AV solutions and one of the most secure, fastest, reliable internet solutions available in coworking space, bar none.
ATLAS previously announced a partnership with FedEx Office®. FedEx Office has opened an in-house Print & Ship Center, providing seamless access to a broad range of business products, services and premium services, inside the Mercer Street facility, and expects to provide similar services inside future ATLAS Workbases as they roll out nationally.
With more than 2,700 active clients, we work across the global economy. Our clients are remarkably diverse: large and small, private and public, for-profit and nonprofit. We help them grow, sustain and transform: whatever it takes to embrace their future. We’re organized around each client relationship. Client needs, expectations and strategy provide the context for every project we carry out together. Whatever their size, wherever our clients need us, we’re set up to deliver. Contact us to learn more.
OpenSquare is the premier provider of workplace solutions in the Pacific Northwest. We design insightful workplaces that enhance our customer’s productivity, collaboration and culture. Our services (e.g, furniture specification, integrated project management, field installation and asset storage) are unmatched in the region. OpenSquare’s clients are literally a “who’s who” of Washington’s top companies and are diversified across every economic sector in the state. OpenSquare is proud to be a Steelcase platinum award winner – recognized as one of top 25 dealers in the nation for our exceptional performance for our customers.
For over 100 years, Steelcase Inc. has helped create great experiences for the world’s leading organizations, across industries. We demonstrate this through our family of brands – including Steelcase®, Coalesse®, Designtex®, PolyVision® and Turnstone®. Together, they offer a comprehensive portfolio of architecture, furniture and technology products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic and environmental sustainability. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 800 dealer locations. Steelcase is a global, industry-leading and publicly traded company with fiscal 2016 revenue of $3.1 billion.
Philips Lighting (Euronext Amsterdam ticker: LIGHT), a global leader in lighting products,
systems and services, delivers innovations that unlock business value, providing rich user
experiences that help improve lives. Serving professional and consumer markets, we lead the industry in leveraging the Internet of Things to transform homes, buildings and urban spaces. With 2015 sales of EUR 7.5 billion, we have approximately 34,000 employees in over 70 countries. News from Philips Lighting is located at http://www.newsroom.lighting.
ATLAS Workbase sets the new standard in flexible, high-performance coworking spaces intentionally designed for global and mobile workforces that enhance productivity and innovation in a modern and highly ergonomic setting. ATLAS Workbases, designed in conjunction with Gensler and Open Square, and created with partners including FedEx Office®, Steelcase and Philips Lighting, delivers an unprecedented work environment and experience that is unmatched in the coworking space industry. ATLAS Workbases replicate the look and feel of high-end executive airport lounges or clubs, complete with concierge services, pay-for-usage plans including single-day use passes, with an array of space options that meet short-term or long-term needs, as well as flexible part-time rate packages. Users can upgrade their meeting space requirements depending on the needs of the day.
