Understanding what drives the need for change
WPP faced the complex task of consolidating multiple creative agencies under one roof in Playa Vista, California. Each company within the WPP family had its own distinct culture and working style, yet they needed to share space harmoniously while maintaining their individual identities. The challenge went beyond simple space planning—how do you create a cohesive environment that honors the beach community location while allowing each agency to express its unique personality?
Traditional corporate headquarters wouldn't work for this creative collective. The space needed to feel like Southern California, encourage collaboration between different companies, and provide intuitive navigation without overwhelming visitors and employees with confusing layouts or excessive signage. The goal was to create a workspace that felt like a natural extension of the innovative Playa Vista community.
How we brought the vision to life
Tangram embraced the 'industrial beach' concept as the unifying design language, weaving together raw materials with coastal California sensibility. Rather than creating one monolithic office, we organized the space into distinct neighborhoods, each reflecting the personality and needs of its resident agency. This neighborhood approach solved multiple challenges simultaneously—it provided natural wayfinding cues, preserved company cultures, and created opportunities for both focused work and cross-pollination between teams.
The design strategy centered on shared amenities that would draw people together while respecting individual work styles. Three expansive outdoor balconies became the heart of the California indoor-outdoor lifestyle, while living walls brought nature inside. State-of-the-art audiovisual and production facilities were seamlessly integrated throughout, ensuring technical excellence never compromised the welcoming atmosphere. Every design decision reinforced the connection to place—this wasn't just any office, but a workspace that could only exist in coastal Southern California.
1 professionals brought this vision to life
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