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Wachovia's New Sanctuary is
Calming and Colorful
Business was booming. Their staff was growing. Their space was filled to capacity. That's when Wachovia made the decision to relocate their Asset Management Division, Evergreen Investments, to 333 Technology Drive in Malvern, PA. Evergreen Investments is among America's 30 largest asset management companies, managing $249 billion in assets including institutional portfolios, mutual funds, variable annuities and private accounts. Their new space needed to be large enough to accommodate their growth and allow for future expansion, while also providing a convenient location for their employees. Wachovia / Evergreen Investments selected 333 Technology Drive as the ideal size and location for their new regional office. Meyer Design, Inc. had previously "polished" and upgraded this building through completing major architectural renovations for Liberty Property Trust. Despite its convenient location, attractive setting and multiple upgraded features including a new roof and new HVAC system, the building had remained un-leased for more than 5 years prior to the real estate rebound. Gary Lorgus of Liberty Property Trust facilitated the process of establishing Meyer Design, Inc. as a preferred provider for Wachovia. This enabled Meyer to work directly with the Wachovia / Evergreen team, while also creating many more opportunities to collaborate with them on future design projects.
Based on these requirements, Meyer's Principal of Interior Design, Karen Palecko-Bates, developed a color and finish scheme comprised of earth tones including brown, yellow and gray blue and combined them with a punch of red to add impact and depth along the office corridor on the first floor. To incorporate elements of nature, Meyer specified brown 3 Form resin panels with an inlayed leaf pattern that also is a sustainable / green product. The cherry wood panel wall and stone tile in the reception area set the tone for this "zen" / nature ambiance. For each floor, Meyer also designed brainstorming "pods" identified as Pine Cone 1 and Pine Cone 2. For ultimate flexibility, each brainstorming "Pine Cone" features mobile seating, a large whiteboard, and phone / date ports for laptop use to accommodate impromptu meetings, visitors and company personnel visiting from other locations. On the first floor, modern-fold partitions give the multipurpose room the ability to be closed off into a separate room or opened into the vendeteria / cafe to create a large meeting area. The bar-height counters in the vendeteria / cafe are also wired for laptop use. Wachovia strives
to use sustainable / green design products when appropriate, in support
of preserving the environment and providing a healthy atmosphere for
their employees. After a quick turnaround of 8 months for design, construction and move coordination, Evergreen Investments is now enjoying this Zen sanctuary that combines nature, sustainable design and flexibility for their employees. "Working with Meyer has been Perfect. I have recommended Meyer for many other Wachovia jobs since the design of Evergreen's space in Malvern. KP and Delta are incredible. They really pay attention to detail, are thorough in their documentation of a project and Meyer is thorough in understanding the client's culture. Meyer is 'up there' with my favorite people to work with. The people are friendly, knowledgeable and very thorough in their attention to detail." ~Carol Bailis, Vice President, Wachovia
Photography by: Don Pearse Photographers, Inc.
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Project
Team: Karen Palecko-Bates, Delta Rubsamen, Eiman Alhassani, Lisa
Hahn, Katie Bono
Kathy
Reilly, Office Manager for Evergreen Investments, requested
a space with a calm / "Zen-like" feeling that would incorporate
"nature" and sustainable / green design elements to compliment
the foliage and earthy setting of the building. Additionally, Kathy
requested a "pop" of color to add some warmth and dimension
to the new design. 
On
this particular project Meyer specified a total of 24 sustainable products
including paint, wall-covering, flooring and resin, while staying within
Wachovia's budget. Even the fabric selected for the modern-fold partitions
in the multipurpose room is a sustainable product. 