July 21, 2000

Flexible, Functional and Fast: The Building Industry Adapts to Meet E-Commerce Needs

In the age of electronic business, a company can go from a napkin business plan to an IPO in lightning speed. Even though much of their business is conducted in the virtual world, these companies still must depend on brick and mortar office space to house their operations and staff. The melding of these two dimensions--real time and e-time--is creating new challenges for the building industry.

Boston-based general contractor Lee Kennedy Co., Inc., and the architecture firm of Bergmeyer Associates, Inc. are currently teaming up to provide new offices for NerveWire, a professional services firm focusing on e-commerce. This client, like many of its counterparts, wants its space flexible, functional and fast.

Flexible
Change is the name of the game when building office space today. Everything from employee headcounts to departmental configuration can change on a daily basis.

In early 2000, when NerveWire first conceived of their new headquarters, there were 50 known persons to occupy the space. By August 2000, when the Newton office opens, the space will be near capacity with 250 employees.

NerveWire Facilities Director, Cynthia Rambaldo, says, "Building an office for an e-commerce company is an exhilarating challenge. The biggest challenge is trying to stay ahead of headcount, and stay true to branding. It is difficult to gather market information when you are traveling at the speed of light."

Bergmeyer brought Lee Kennedy Co. on board with NerveWire shortly after they began design. Collaborative meetings have been the backbone of this project from the beginning. Issues of procurement were critical to design decisions. Design and acquisition of materials happened nearly simultaneously in many cases. Many items were purchased before the final details of installation were worked out on paper.

Functional
E-commerce companies are demanding that their office environments speak volumes about their brands and their missions. Many consider the look and feel of their offices to be both a marketing and recruiting tool.

Lots of glass and exposed elements are being showcased in these cutting-edge interior office spaces to provide an open feel. High tech firms also favor bright colors, playful lighting, and lots of cozy, creative meeting space full of data drops.

Amenities that were once virtually non-existent within the confines of a traditional tenant space are now becoming a focal point of the design. Traditional "break rooms" that were often nothing more than a refrigerator and a vending machine are being replaced by recreational areas that include everything from ping-pong to Playstation.

Fast
The success of today's leading businesses and e-commerce related companies often depends on how quickly they can get to market. "There are short windows of opportunity in today's business arena, and this is particularly true in the Internet world," Rombaldo said. "If you don't move on your idea, someone else will."

Because their clients' success depends on it, architects and contractors must move just as quickly. Construction of NerveWire's 54,000 square foot headquarters began in late June and employees will be at their desks before the end of August.

Despite all the new challenges posed by 21st century businesses, two old fashioned concepts will help us all succeed. First, there must be great trust between the architect, the contractor and the client. When half the materials for a project need to be pre-ordered before the design is complete, all team members must respect one another. Second, there must be exceptional communication between all parties. There is no time in a nine-week job to redraw or reconstruct anything due to miscommunication.

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