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JUNE 2017 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 97
I t’s easy to talk about the benefits of
collaboration, integrated teams and
adaptability. But when an acquisition
occurs in the middle of the project,
the amount and pace of change can
test a team’s mettle. The team behind
the NetApp’s new Boulder offices did
more than survive. By staying focused on
overall project success, they took advan-
tage of a dynamic situation to create a
unique environment that suits everyone
to a T.
Elsy Studios was nearly finished with
the design and ready to submit the plans
for client SolidFire’s new headquarters –
their third project together – when they
had to reboot. Fast-growing SolidFire,
which provides all-flash storage for data
centers, had been acquired by data man-
agement firmNetApp. The resulting shift
in brand, culture and personnel would
dramatically impact nearly every aspect
of the project.
With a hard-and-fast schedule of only
two months (dictated by move-in dates),
they had to reassess the project’s space
planning and design. A newly integrated
team of SolidFire and NetApp personnel
worked closely together, with Elsy Studios
Associate Cathy Loftus’ leadership, to de-
termine their approach. A couple of ini-
tial decisions helped guide them.
They would redesign the 67,000-square-
foot space they had chosen to house
SolidFire’s new headquarters, rather than
looking for different or additional space.
Located on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall,
they agreed the space would serve the
new company’s needs now and into the
WORDS: Kimberly MacArthur Graham
PHOTOS: Dave Camara Photography