Inside RDC-S111’s Transformative Long Beach Headquarters

From high-rise to high impact: How RDC-S111‘s office design and community spaces move revitalized downtown Long Beach. 

In 2016, RDC and its sister company, Studio One Eleven (RDC-S111) made a decision that would transform not just their workspace, but an entire neighborhood. The well-established design firms chose to leave their 21st-floor offices, with sweeping views of Long Beach, for an unexpected location—a former Nordstrom Rack in a declining six-block shopping center in the city’s urban core. 

This bold move was more than a simple relocation; it was a strategic effort to anchor and kick-start the transformation of a long-overlooked area in Downtown Long Beach. By moving to this ground-floor space, the firms demonstrated their commitment to urban repair and community revitalization. The new location allowed them to strengthen their connection to the city fabric and urban context they sought to improve.

The transformation of the 25,000-square-foot retail space into a modern creative office became a catalyst for change in the surrounding area. What was once a bland, underutilized remnant of 1980s retail culture evolved into a vibrant hub of creativity and innovation. The expansive, open-plan design of the former department store provided an ideal canvas for RDC-S111 to craft an inspiring workplace that fostered collaboration and wellness among their staff.

Since the transformation, RDC-S111 has innovated and updated the space for an ever-changing and increasingly flexible workforce. The office, which bolsters community gathering and employee wellbeing, used insights from Covid to encourage a healthy and safe return to work.

Reimagining Retail as Creative Workspace 

The interior space was stripped down to the building’s shell, exposing the ceiling’s steel trusses, metal decking and concrete floors to create one large, open space. A significant design element was the addition of a 6,000 sq ft mezzanine, allowing the entire office to be visually connected at all levels—a stark contrast to their previous bifurcated office setup.

Instead of separate offices for principals and management, all desks now occupy a central space or line the mezzanine. Breakout meeting rooms with high-tech furnishings line the perimeter, available for all to use. Two communal kitchens, one along the main street and another off the back patio, double as spaces for company events, presentations and meetings.

At the southeast corner, the Spit & Argue Club serves as the largest communal gathering space. With a capacity of 130+, it hosts firm-wide meetings, lunch-and-learns and yoga classes, and can be closed off for use by outside community organizations.

A portion of the former loading dock was transformed into a landscaped, private outdoor area for staff. This space includes a fire pit, edible garden wall, palette furniture, loose seating and a basketball hoop. The patio is lined with palm trees and crated orange trees saved from other areas of downtown, creating a green oasis in the urban environment.

Returning to the Office Post-Covid

RDC-S111’s leaders have chosen to look for ways to incentivize a return to the office, rather than dictating an attendance minimum. One such strategy, implemented in 2022, was making the firm’s Long Beach office dog-friendly, which speaks to the growing awareness of mental health needs. 

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the firm has leased spaces within the Long Beach Headquarters to like-minded professionals, creating an environment that includes a mix of creative professionals, serving to build the creative community and enliven the area of Downtown just adjacent to the office, as RDC-S111’s presence has increased the number of people who visit the area with regularity. 

With the growing popularity of Podcasting and virtual interviews, the firm has converted a space in the office into a “Listening Room,” which is a space equipped with audio visual equipment necessary for a clear recording, as well as one that sets the tone for a successful virtual meeting or podcast.  

RDC-S111 is continuously working to find ways to use office space, as the world is actively gathering in-person and COVID is mostly in the rear-view mirror. The firm hosts community meetings and celebratory events such as when the Senior Talent Director Carina Mills was named President of AIA California, and when they debuted the new name for their interior design studio, DyeLot.

Ripple Effects of Revitalization

The impact of this move extended far beyond the walls of the new office. The influx of 130+ design professionals breathed new life into the area, increasing the daytime population and spurring further development momentum in the area, including:

1. New restaurants, including some highly acclaimed eateries, moved into the neighborhood.
2. The adjacent Harvey Milk Park received grants for reinvigoration, with Studio One Eleven contributing to its redesign.
3. Developers began showing interest in housing projects in the immediate vicinity.

This adaptive reuse project demonstrated the potential of repurposing underutilized spaces. The area south of Third Street, known as the Promenade, evolved into a lively artery of Long Beach. The transformation affected not just the two blocks housing the new office but had a direct impact on an additional four city blocks.

Environmental Excellence and Employee Wellness

The transformation of the former Nordstrom Rack into RDC-S111’s headquarters showcases a commitment to both environmental sustainability and employee well-being. The office achieved Green Business, LEED-Gold and WELL Platinum certifications, setting a new standard for eco-friendly and health-conscious workspaces.

Environmental initiatives include the installation of 20 new skylights to maximize natural light, with three being operable to improve air circulation. The firms plan to transition to solar power and disconnect from other energy sources, aiming for net zero energy consumption. Meanwhile a 552-square-foot vegetated space and a 284-square-foot garden, complete with nine relocated orange trees and a 28-foot vertical garden, bring nature into the urban setting.

The new headquarters design also targeted employee wellness with various amenities and programs. For example, the office features standing desks for all employees, ergonomic workstations and bike racks to encourage active commuting. Employees can also partake in exercise classes four days a week, including yoga and meditation sessions. To promote proper hydration and nutrition, filtered water is readily available, and healthy snacks are provided twice weekly. Air quality is carefully managed through advanced filtration and purification systems, while acoustic, olfactory and thermal comfort were also considered during design. 

As the first WELL Certified architecture firm west of the Mississippi and second worldwide, RDC-S111’s office serves as a model for future-forward, health-conscious and environmentally responsible workplaces.

Tracking Pedestrian Activity with Motionsoft

A sensor at the Promenade office entry enables RDC-S111 to analyze foot traffic on an hourly basis—highlighting visitors per hour, as well as the busiest hours and days of the week. This data is then synthesized to create a time density heat map, showing peak hours of pedestrian activity and a business hours analysis. The time density heat map indicates activity that can help businesses better understand ideal hours of operation, as well as address day-to-day logistics like staffing. It also enables RDC-S111, as architects and urban designers, to better understand the impact of their relocation on the urban environment.

Impactful Products

Reimagining an Office—and in Turn, the Fabric of an Entire Community

RDC-S111’s visionary project set in motion a cascade of positive changes that extended far beyond the new office walls. What was once a declining shopping center transformed into a vibrant component of the city, proving that urban renewal can arise from unexpected places.

The project’s success is evident in both its immediate impact and long-term influence. The investment in office improvements catalyzed an additional revitalization in the surrounding community. This included the landlord re-skinning existing facades, laying new sidewalks and rebranding most of the tenant mix south of Fourth Street. The area, rebranded as “The Streets,” now aims to establish a creative district north of Third Street, diverging from the traditional shopping center model.

Art played a crucial role in this transformation. The office interior features locally created murals selected through a “Call to Artists” program, celebrating urban life with dynamic and imaginative works. Outside, a commissioned mural by local artist Bumblebeelovesyou adorns the facade, promoting healthy living and urban exploration. 

The project’s influence extended to public spaces as well. Improvements to Harvey Milk Park, public streets and the parking structure have helped expand the district’s energy into the surrounding urban fabric. The creation of flexible public spaces, such as the Promenade North, allows for events like farmer’s markets and food trucks, fostering a pedestrian-friendly environment. RDC-S111 also participated in the Los Angeles Design Festival as the downtown Long Beach hub, birthing the idea of a Long Beach Design District.

Still, no project is complete without challenges. Like many organizations, RDC-S111 faced the reality of staff preferring a hybrid work model post-pandemic. Rather than mandating office attendance, they chose to incentivize it. They added a Community Engagement Manager, created a Hybrid Office Committee and reimagined the office as a private club-like space where membership is coveted. The office became dog-friendly and now hosts speaker series, team happy hours and yoga classes. 

Ultimately the most striking result of this project has been its demonstration of architecture’s power to catalyze urban renewal.

By choosing to invest in an overlooked area, RDC-S111 not only transformed their workspace but also sparked a revitalization that spread throughout the neighborhood. Their approach to change management—focusing on creating an environment that staff choose to come to, rather than are mandated to attend—offers valuable lessons for other organizations navigating the post-pandemic work landscape.

This project stands as a testament to the potential of adaptive reuse and the far-reaching impact of thoughtful, community-oriented design. It shows that with vision and commitment, a single project can become a catalyst for widespread urban revitalization and community engagement.

Contributors:

Due to the scope and positive impact of the project on the community, RDC-S111 coordinated with many organizations and agencies along the way, including the City of Long Beach, Long Beach Public Works, the Downtown Long Beach Business Association, Shooshani Developers, LLC and more.

Photography

Courtesy of RDC-S111

Want More From RDC-S111’s Thought Leaders?

Modern Strategies for Gen Z-Centric Workplace Design

A Distinctive Future: Inside San Diego’s Historic Design Center

Want to Connect?

About RDC-S111 | Follow on Instagram |  Connect on Linkedin