Earl Everett Ferguson Architect
New York City/Irvington, New York
'Having a beautiful open space to work allows for increased collaboration and creative thinking. employees can connect with each other, and as a result, the product is better.' ' Eileen Fisher
Launching her apparel line in 1984 with $350 and a degree in home economics, Eileen Fisher started small. But her modest beginnings belie the power of her brand — a line of elegant, comfortable clothing sewn with natural materials that has resonated with America’s professional women. As she does with her clothing, Fisher brings a holistic sensibility to the workplace, fostering people-centric environments in her Irvington, New York, headquarters north of New York City, and her Manhattan design studio/showroom, or Creative Center.
To achieve her goals, Fisher tapped Irvington-based Earl Everett Ferguson Architect to create sustainable facilities for both locations. The architects — who also designed Fisher’s home and some of her stores — incorporated eco-sensitive materials, daylighting strategies, and energy-efficient systems, deftly adapting older structures. They expanded the Creative Center from 20,000 to 43,000 square feet by relocating it to three floors of a historic department store on lower Fifth Avenue — maintaining the open quality of the space with high ceilings and glass-enclosed meeting rooms. For Fisher’s Irvington headquarters, the design team updated the company’s existing offices in a former Lord & Burnham greenhouse factory, expanding it by 19,000 square feet into a light-infused, loftlike adjacent space in sync with its city counterpart.
Design principal Earl Ferguson’s strategies support the company’s operational recycling program and energy-saving policies, observed by all employees. He also programmed spaces for wellness activities and impromptu gatherings within work areas. “Department leaders and managers are located adjacent to each other, with their teams surrounding them in peripheral areas,” says Ferguson. “This fosters creative collaboration, and affords natural light and views for more than 90 percent of occupants.” According to the company, the design contributes to a sense of health and well-being among staff, evidenced by the turnover rate of 8 percent, much lower than the industry average.
By 2010 Eileen Fisher had grown to 900 employees, generating over $300 million in sales. Today the company ranks among the best medium-sized companies to work for, according to the Great Place to Work Institute. Fisher aims to foster a workplace dedicated to nurturing employees and reflecting holistic sensibilities. Ferguson’s design supports that directive with ease and simplicity.
Architect:
Earl Everett Ferguson Architect, PLLC
One Bridge Street
Irvington, NY 10533
(P) 914-591-5066
(F) 914-591-5031
Location:
Eileen Fisher Corporate Headquarters - 2 Bridge Street, Irvington, NY
Eileen Fisher Creative Center: - 111 5th Ave, New York, NY
Total construction cost: $15 million
Completion Date:
October 2007 – December 2008
Gross square footage:
Corporate Headquarters: 40,000 sq.ft.
Creative Center: 43,000 sq.ft.
