PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Challenge:
Transform the former 1931 Western Electric Company headquarters into a vibrant multi-tenant lab and office space that celebrates both industrial heritage and scientific innovation, and reimagine this six-story Art Deco building as a place of connection, creativity, and community.

Solution:
Throughout the project, blackened steel signage, stencil-cut wayfinding, and raw materials recall the site’s manufacturing past, serving as a bold counterpoint to the colorful, artful, and energetic elements layered throughout the space. Vibrant hand-painted murals inspired by science anchor the building inside and out, transforming walls and facades into visual storytelling moments. These large-scale artworks invite emotional and intellectual engagement while reinforcing WELL’s identity as a hub of innovation. The atrium—home to dining, fitness, and communal spaces—is united by rhythmic, geometric wallcoverings and graphic motifs that echo the building’s Art Deco bones while adding contemporary energy. Painted floor stencils guide movement, complemented by matching elevator graphics and signage at key amenities. A stroboscopic mural and custom “track lane” flooring in the fitness center celebrate motion and well-being. Together, these graphic, text, and media elements create a strong sense of place—one that honors the past while encouraging the future, making WELL a destination for discovery and connection.
 

PROJECT INFORMATION

Primary Role of the Designer: Designer as change agent

Client Relationship: A retainer relationship

Intention of the Project: Introduction of a new product, service, or program

Typefaces:  Comfortaa

Paper: 

Materials: blackened steel, acrylic, vinyl, paint

CREDIT INFORMATION

Creative Director: Elizabeth O. Lowrey (Interior Design) and Elizabeth Stevens (Experiential Design)

Art Director: 

Designers: Drea Plummer (Experiential), Stefan Volatile-Wood (Experiential), Oren Sherman (Experiential), Lawrence Ko (Interior), Rahissa Melo Wang (Interior)

Researchers:

Developers: 

Copywriter: 

Illustrator: 

Photographer: Eric Laignel

Producer: 

Printer: 

Other Credits: Kysa Johnson - hand-painted mural artist; Whitney Veigas - exterior monument designer; Poyant - signage fabricator; Emily Fine Art - Art Consultant