Hendy, an interior architecture and strategic workplace firm, delivered a new global headquarters and production workspace design for Rocket Lab, a space systems company, in Long Beach, Calif. The new headquarters’ interior design includes a large manufacturing floor, open-concept office space and a space-themed customer experience room.
In 2019, Rocket Lab enlisted Hendy to deliver a branded workspace that optimized productivity and production. Tasked with creating an adaptive floorplan that can adjust to changing manufacturing needs, Hendy designed a visually striking manufacturing floor that provides a protean layout, including a 3D printing area, cleanroom and quality control area. Drawing inspiration from Rocket Lab’s desire for transparency, the manufacturing floor is separated by large glass walls and is visible from the corporate workspace, which comprises open workstations and huddle rooms for team collaboration.
“Rocket Lab’s new headquarters truly embodies a harmonious union of form and function that reflects its distinct company culture, while enabling optimum productivity and functionality for myriad, distinct team needs,” said H. Hendy Associate’s designer, Carolina Weidler, principal and studio director at Hendy. “Rocket Lab’s manufacturing floor is the central showpiece, honoring the ingenuity at the heart of the operation; the overlooking workspace exemplifies their collaborative spirit and commitment to transparency, comprising title- and level-agnostic open workstations used by all employees, from the C-suite to the interns.”
Another unique requirement for the headquarters is to host clients for facility tours, rocket launches and the opportunity to learn about Rocket Lab’s history and mission. Hendy designed a themed customer experience room that emulates the final frontier, featuring black floors with pops of red and white; a large projection screen for viewing live satellite launches; and a 450-bulb lighting installation that replicates the Milky Way galaxy.
“We came to Hendy with a significant opportunity challenge: we needed Rocket Lab’s headquarters to serve as the unifying cultural glue for the company where we could live our values and execute our mission consistently across our global operations,” said Adam Spice, chief financial officer, Rocket Lab. “But just as importantly, we needed an intelligent space envisioned from the ground-up to meet our niche functionality and productivity demands. The Hendy team took a rigorous approach to designing our space, and the result is a masterful expression of our ask.”
About Hendy
Founded in 1980, H. Hendy Associates is a nationally recognized interior architecture and strategic workplace firm offering a full range of services for corporate and multifamily clients. In 2020, Hendy proudly commemorated 40 years of helping corporate clients seamlessly relocate or remodel, with services spanning strategic facilities programming, employee satisfaction analysis, change management, and space planning. The firm has received numerous business and industry honors, including recognition as a CoreNet Global Service Provider of the Year; ranked as a Top Places to Work by Orange County Register, and listed as a Top 50 Architecture Firm in Interior Design’s LA Power Grid. The company’s roster of workplaces includes TRI Pointe Group, El Pollo Loco, Yokohama Tires Corporation, Kawasaki, Behr Paint Company, SAP and HanaHaus, and OluKai. Hendy’s multifamily projects include Alliance Residential, Brio, Candara, Angelene, Coronado Bay Club, and Shea Vantis. For more information, visit hhendy.com.