Poly has deep roots in the Santa Cruz community, the site of their previous campus location. For the Scotts Valley project, the client wanted to continue celebrating that connection in their new space. This led to the design concept of Changing Tides, paying homage to the Santa Cruz coastline and natural beauty of where the land meets the sea.
With Poly’s acquisition by HP mid-project, the team was given the additional project goals of reassuring employees and encouraging them to foster a new joint culture through the implementation of a ‘social office’—a space that enables users to gather, share and connect.
The site boasts incredible views of the surrounding Santa Cruz Mountains and easy access to landscaped gardens and mature redwood trees. The top floor workspace frames and enhances those views with serene, natural finishes that reference the rhythms and materials of the California coast. The concept of Changing Tides links the ebbs and flows of water to the passage of time, while still being constant and reassuring. Flowing lines and forms are repeated throughout the space, including the curved coffee bar and custom felt underwater topographic (or bathygraphic) map wall.
Changing Tides also alludes to Poly’s company history. Apollo 11 astronauts wore Poly’s (then Plantronics’) ‘Snoopy’ headset on their mission to the moon—that same satellite that influences the movement of the ocean. The entry of the lab space is a moment to experience this connection, with dark finishes highlighting a moon-inspired feature ceiling. The rest of the floor focuses on HP-Poly’s ambition and drive to innovate for the future while celebrating its rich legacy.
