Influx

The Willoughby Design Group is a Kansas City based design firm that has worked for a diverse group of companies including; Hallmark, Lee, Three Dog Bakery and Einstein Brothers. One unique aspect of the company is its approach to creative workspaces. The main office has its own meditation room and the company operates a Design Barn for corporate retreats.

The Design Barn is a work of art. Built by Eldorado Architects, the building uses an old timber frame barn as a base, and layered upon this is an interesting blend of materials, all used to create a very practical environment. The barn even has it’s own bedrooms that are sometimes used by the company’s out of town clients. There is also space to host workshops and creative retreats.

Office parks and cubicles are not normally associated with creativity. Willoughby’s Design Barn is a reaction to this and the lack of creative space in the corporate workspace; it provides clients with a haven where they can go to open themselves up to creativity.

With creativity and innovation now being high on the list of current corporate priorities, how long before we see design barns in corporate campuses and office parks?