We Toured Hilti's North American HQ In Plano
Last summer, Hilti Corp moved its North American HQ—and more than 250 jobs—from Tulsa, OK, to Plano. Last week, we joined CoreNet for a tour of Hilti’s new offices in Legacy Towers, which are amenitized to the hilt(i).
The Liechtenstein-based company, known for its production of power tools and construction products, needed a new space to grow into, and director of branding and corporate communications Leah Kelso tells us the Dallas area was an easy choice. The 50k SF HQ on the 10th and 11th floors of Legacy Towers is designed to celebrate the power of Hilti’s people (it has 20,000 employees worldwide). The Gensler-designed space is meant to emphasize collaboration and innovation.
Here’s your first impression from the elevators, the reception area. The room features a combination of soft colors and bright bold colors. Against the wall, different Hilti products are encased in glass to create a mini-museum. Gensler studio director Paul Manno tells us the brand integration is seen throughout the office.
This grab-and-go area, where employees can get a coffee and a quick snack, is no throwaway break room. Hilti employees are driven by a love for coffee—the firm’s global offices are very competitive to create the best space to grab a cup. We’re told this facility’s coffee bar is second only to the Liechtenstein office. Paul says Plano is known for its work/live/play attitude, and he wanted to spotlight it in Hilti's office.
The personalization wall is a great example of employees being able to put their own touch into the design. This wall is a recognition of all the workers who signed on to be part of the Hilti North American team.
The space isn’t just a place for work, but also somewhere to brand and advertise. Hilti products are incorporated into the design in new and imaginative ways throughout the space. This signature staircase is something Gensler and Hilti worked on together to create an area that inspires and also highlights the Hilti brand.
The blade wall is another great example of product integration. It's made from 444 14” Hilti blades that slowly present the company’s name as you move across the room.
All over the large office area you’ll find huddle rooms like this one so groups can collaborate and strategize. Make no mistake, these little spaces weren’t afterthoughts. From the design to the functionality, every part of these areas were designed to help employees be as productive as possible.
Forget your standard conference rooms. The space Hilti calls “here and there” can morph from two separate rooms into one. The state-of-the-art technology makes this room not just functional but a showpiece as well.
As you pass though one of the halls, a history of the company’s products makes you take a second look. The innovation timeline highlights the growth of the Hilti products and the 3D installation was modeled off of actual sound waves from the drills.
The incredible views spoke for themselves. The floor-to-ceiling windows make the space feel much larger and showcase the growth of Plano in a beautiful way. Many in the tour even played a game to see if they could count all of the construction cranes seen across the landscape.
