Photo courtesy of Dyer Brown

What: WinnCompanies headquarters
Where: 1 Washington Mall, Boston
Built: 1971
Owner: Boston Cornhill LLC 

Boston-based architects Dyer Brown designed WinnCompanies’ new 27,000-square-foot headquarters at 1 Washington Mall to evoke the look and feel of CEO Gilbert Winn’s favorite local hotels. 

Winn provided the design team with photos of his favorite lodging spaces as inspiration and asked them to create an open, sunlit office space that would feel welcoming to employees and clients while fostering teamwork and communication. 

Finishes and materials evoke the WinnResidential culture including carpeting patterns that suggest topographical map markings. Triangular fractal patterns in the central ceiling generate energy, contrasting with wood ceilings in communal spaces. A flint-cut stone reception desk with wood rail accents greets visitors as a sculptural statement piece. 

The gut renovation of the third, fourth and fifth floors left only the bare bones of the fourth floor intact. The design team settled on a central stair as a unifying feature, and placed communal spaces near it on every floor to emphasize the welcoming atmosphere.  

They Said It: 

“The hybrid plan does include some private offices, which suits departmental team structure. But the real premium is daylight. We located as many shared spaces near available windows as possible, then strategically introduced reflective materials and light-color finishes to make the space brighter.” 

— Karen Bala, director of design, Dyer Brown