When residents of Cartersville, Georgia pass by the glass façade of the Shaw Create Centre, they get a birds-eye view into the three-story innovation hub. Shaw Industries has been manufacturing carpet here, nearly 40 miles north of Atlanta, since the 1960s, so establishing a dialogue between the 67,000-square-foot LEED Silver facility and the community was an intentional aspect of Gensler’s design.

Home to the manufacturing, design, and marketing teams at Patcraft and Shaw Contract, the workplace’s mission is to spark ideas in a collaborative and inspiring setting. Indeed, colleagues work alongside one other in an open seating plan or take to common areas for discussions and brainstorming.

“Shaw had one of the highest brand loyalty scores from its employees on our Workplace Performance Index,” says John Cantrell, co-studio director of workplace at Gensler Atlanta, referencing the online survey firm developed to analyze how people work at a certain company. “Our job was to capture the spirit of Shaw’s culture and unlock qualities in the space that reflected their values to enhance the employee experience.”

Fostering a sense of wellbeing was also essential, which is why the exterior is graced with an eye-catching screen of angled metal louver “fins” that reduce energy and glare while allowing the building to fill with natural light. There is easy access to the outdoors, an atrium dominated by an industrial-style staircase that encourages both movement and conversation, and colorful works of art that harmonize bright swathes of yellow and pink. “Understanding that Shaw is a global brand with local roots, we created a series of transparent spaces that are soft, warm, and inviting,” explains Gensler Atlanta designer Caroline Riley.