PDR was tasked with bringing a functional space to the United Rentals offices located in Charlotte, North Carolina.

United Rentals recently merged their Tampa, Florida and Charlotte, NC offices, creating their largest workplace location nationally. The consolidation resulted in the need for space that would accommodate a combined workforce plus future growth. They tapped Houston-based PDR, a global design, architecture, and consulting firm, to develop a new workplace strategy and implement it in the design at their new Charlotte, North Carolina office. The newly created space serves as a hub for training, finance, HR, call center operations, and technology capable of supporting over 600 people across 95,000 square feet.

With a belief that great employees build a great organization, United Rentals sought to create an environment that aligns with their vision and supports employee growth and excellence. Their previously existing workspace had single-use spaces and physical barriers that reinforced a silo mentality, creating inefficiencies and an undesired, formal approach. The new office experience visually and organizationally maximizes space while avoiding those challenges. A workplace strategy that includes modular planning guidelines developed by PDR ensures that each space within the workplace can offer engagement, flexibility, and transparency.

By taking a human-centric approach to the design, PDR designed multi-purpose spaces that enable a dynamic work environment. Centrally located break rooms positioned on the perimeter with views to the wooded site allow another connection point for unplanned interactions, along with collaboration zones. It was critical to align the company’s culture with the environment, empowering employees to choose where to work, promoting community engagement and maximizing the benefits of choice and variety within the space. By implementing activity-based working alongside client-driven standards for space types, United Rentals ensured engagement, efficiency, standardization, and transparency within the workplace. It also establishes a framework for growth by supporting new ways of working while keeping the workforce engaged by having a variety of space types to collaborate between departments and floors.

The space’s overall design reflects United Rentals’ brand identity immediately upon entry, making an impact for visitors, new hires, and even long-standing employees. The team utilized various themes that coincided with the company’s brand, including construction references as well as a mixture of raw, mixed, and natural materials in vibrant brand colors. The design took advantage of the existing building design which allows for an environment full of natural light and views to the wooded landscape, while the interior finishes are enhanced with bright pops of colors, natural wood grains, moss, cork, and woven materials that energize and unify. PDR started the project in June of 2019, and construction was completed in July 2020.

Design: PDR
Photography: Peter Brentlinger

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