When the biotechnology company GenzymeCorporation moved into its new headquar-ters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, morethan two years ago, expectations werehigh. Behnisch Architects’ design prom-ised a revitalized office environment:Integrated into the building are a diverserange of sustainable systems—from thevegetative roof to low-emitting paint towaterless urinals. But would these tech-nologies (some products used for the firsttime in the United States) actually affectthe company’s workforce?

The project’s success comes in the formof a bright atrium. Dotted with interior gar-dens, seating areas, and cafés, this centralspace visually unites the work areas andprovides places that resonate withemployees. “I have one particular gardenon the 11th floor where I like to have mymeetings. It is right up there near the sky,”says Joan Wood, senior vice president ofleadership and organization development.“It is a beautiful space to work in. Thereare some sculptures and the natural lightis gorgeous.”

Christof Jantzen, a partner at BehnischArchitects, describes the atrium atmos-phere: “There are all these views. It is com-municative. You can wave to your colleaguetwo floors down and across the centralspace. It is not so much about the details .. . it is a combination of how the elementscome together as a whole.”

Holistic and ecological, but granolafree, the project incorporates both intuitiveand high-tech practices. The GenzymeCenter (February 2004, page 58) recentlyreceived a Platinum LEED rating. For theteam—Genzyme Corporation, developerLyme Properties, Behnisch Architects, andengineers Buro Happold—the award galva-nizes its commitment to the future ofgreen design. “LEED is a very rigoroussystem. They challenged us throughout theprocess,” recalls engineer Byron Stigge ofBuro Happold. “It was really difficult goingthough it, but at the end of the day it gaveus faith in the building and faith in theindustry.”

There is an openness to the GenzymeCenter that counters conventional, grayflannel office buildings; spaces are bright,transparent, and well ventilated. Daylightfills the 12-story atrium and illuminates theoffices with the help of heliostats—largemirrors that mechanically rotate to catchthe sun—mounted on the roof. The system, designed by lighting consultantsBartenbach LichtLabor, directs raysthrough the atrium skylight onto an array ofprismatic louvers. From there, lightbounces off reflective surfaces on thesides of the central volume and glints off alarge mobile.

Recently, Wood conducted a post-occu-pancy survey to see how employees wereadjusting to their new workspaces. Thestudy linked natural light directly to produc-tivity, with 72 percent of the staff reportingincreased output.

“It feels fresher and brighter thanbeing outside the building. The light

BRIGHTGREENMACHINEGenzyme has occupied its sustain-able headquarters for two years,but does the new building live upto expectations?

by Mimi Zeigerphotographs by Anton Grassl

enhancement reduces the glare. Generally, thereare certain times of days when you get groggy.But in this building you don’t get that afternoonsleepy feeling,” explains Rick Mattila who, asdirector of environmental affairs at Genzyme,was responsible for guiding the project throughLEED certification.

Critical to this freshness is the atrium’s role inthe building’s heating and cooling system. Airfrom the offices passively flows into the centralspace, warms, and rises to the top of the atrium,where it returns to the air handlers.

A computerized building management sys-tem monitors the climate inside the offices andkicks in when it senses stuffiness, while indi-vidual thermostats allow occupants to adjusttheir personal environments. “The ability to con-trol the temperature creates a sense of com-fort,” says Wood. Those user stations whencombined with an efficient double-glazedfaçade and motorized blinds allow the companyto save energy. Genzyme estimates the center’senergy costs to be 42 percent lower than tradi-tional offices of its size.

Wood was surprised when she found that notonly does the new design increase worker pro-ductivity, it reduces employee turnover. “We hadan intuitive sense that it would be a nice place towork, but we didn’t think about those returns ininvestment. We’ve had a 5 percent lower sick rateand 88 percent of our employees have noted animproved sense of well-being.”

Jantzen is modest when he explains the syner-gy between the user’s everyday experience andthe architecture. “It is about asking the right ques-tions and making sure that the individual is cen-tered within the design process,” he offers.

For all of the building’s accomplishments, therehave been a few minor hiccups. For example, the

manufacturer replaced malfunctioning motors inthe mechanical blinds soon after the centeropened. And, it is difficult to get accurate readingsoff the overly large steam meter specified by pub-lic utility standards, but this glitch has been attrib-uted to energy efficiency, since the readings areon the low end of the scale.

The engineers at Buro Happold continue toscrutinize the center’s mechanical system,using it as a case study for other sustainableprojects. “It takes a lot of time to learn fromthese buildings,” explains Stigge. “When design-ing systems we make a lot of code-basedassumptions and I love going back to see howaccurate they are. It gives us an idea of whenwe can push the hard calcs."

The green example set by GenzymeCorporation’s headquarters is changing how thecompany develops future projects. Matilla hassince registered two—a science center and acommercial structure—with the U.S. GreenBuilding Council. Sustainable methods, such aswaste management and indoor air quality duringconstruction, are now standard to Genzyme’sspecifications. “It made such common sense,”says Matilla. “We wanted to show that it could bedone, so that others can do it as well.”

For Jantzen, the design of healthy, ecological-ly savvy workspaces comes with implicationsthat go beyond any one building. It is about hav-ing a vision and an integrated team—from devel-oper to building department to engineer. “Truesustainability comes from economics and envi-ronmental factors. This has to be understood inorder to create a living environment for our timeand for the next generation,” he states. “It is theresponsibility of every individual, architect, andpolitician, but on the whole it is the responsibili-ty of society.” �

IN OCTOBER 2005 GENZYME CORPORATION

SURVEYED ITS STAFF CONCERNING THE NEW

WORKPLACE. THE RESULTS FOLLOW: 75 PER-

CENT—THE BUILDING’S CLEAR GLASS

DESIGN ENCOURAGES CONNECTION BETWEEN

COLLEAGUES; 88 PERCENT—DIRECT VIEWS

AND ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR GARDENS

IMPROVES EMPLOYEES’ SENSE OF WELL

BEING; 72 PERCENT—LIGHTING FEATURES IN

THE BUILDING BOOSTS ALERTNESS AND

PRODUCTIVITY; 66 PERCENT—THE WORK

AREA FLOOR PLAN INCREASES COLLABORA-

TION; 64 PERCENT—INFORMAL MEETING

SPACES FACILITATE COLLABORATION; 58

PERCENT—ABILITY TO INDIVIDUALLY CON-

TROL THE TEMPERATURE IMPROVES THE

QUALITY OF THE WORK ENVIRONMENT; 74

PERCENT—A CAFETERIA IN THE BUILDING

SAVES EMPLOYEES AT LEAST AN HOUR PER

WEEK; 68 PERCENT—THE PROXIMITY OF A

COFFEE STATION ON EACH FLOOR GIVES

WORKERS AN EXTRA HOUR PER WEEK.

Reprinted with permission from Architecture, August 2006.