United States
project
Tauck Tours
Nestled within 60 wooded acres in Wilton, Connecticut, the new 55,000sf headquarters of Tauck Tours centers on what the company considers the most nourishing ingredient to a healthy workplace: Vitamin N (aka, nature). With its lodge-like setting—complete with large stone fireplaces and wood features at every turn—the building gives employees the feeling that they are actually in a vacation property, conveying the sense of calm and comfort they bring to their customers.
Designed by Perkins Eastman, the glass exterior and office walls allow light to fill the working spaces, and the interior design elements focus on the colors of autumn leaves and earthy textures. With eight different terraces and access to nature trails, employees are encouraged to take in all the “Vitamin N” they can.
Integrating the needs of a modern office into this serene, natural setting—without disrupting it—did come with some challenges. First was the limited ceiling space for building systems. The existing steel beams had slotted holes that drove the locations for where the ductwork had to be installed, so close coordination among the entire team was critical.
Building out the office’s data center and UPS room posed a similar space crunch. Given the specialized use of that space, the data center’s design included both a pre-action sprinkler system and a gaseous fire suppression system, meaning twice the amount of fire suppression equipment occupied utility corridor spaces. What’s more, as construction began, the team realized the electrical panels were much larger than anticipated and wouldn’t fit into the UPS room and data center as designed. We worked hand-in-hand with the electrician and the engineer in almost a design/build situation to redesign the UPS room so that all the gear would fit.
Now with all systems go, Tauck employees are getting their daily dose of Vitamin N in a modern work environment that reflects exactly what a travel company strives for.
©Connie Zhou
Architect
Perkins Eastman
Client
Tauck Tours
Location
10 Westport Road Wilton, CT
SF
55,000
Architect
Perkins Eastman
Engineer
Southport Engineering
Completion
January 2016
