Molson Coors North American Headquarters – Denver
RNL has designed the new North American Headquarters of multinational brewing company Molson Coors located in Denver, Colorado.
This new headquarters in Denver, CO represents a massive shift for the company. At 67,000 square feet, it combines people and functions previously split among two facilities (including the original brewery in Golden, which remains in use). The move provided an opportunity to reunite departments, foster greater collaboration, and improve operational efficiencies.
The client asked for a space that would inspire more energy and buzz. Changes in culture are seen in the layout of the space. Private offices are pulled off the windows maximizing daylight and views, and all offices are a standard 150 SF. The pub, truly the heart of the office, is located right off the central staircase and on the center floor of the 3-level stack.
The design team led an intense visioning process to ensure the final product reflected the intentions, goals, and future needs of the client. This effort led to the creation of a flexible pub meeting space for up to 200 people in a town hall meeting arrangement, smaller and more collaborative work spaces, and an overall design philosophy that embraced the company’s cultural brand (as defined by staff-identified descriptors like “collegial,” “fun,” and “transparent”).
The expansive scenes of downtown, the Front Range, and beyond, are best enjoyed from the 46th floor where employees joke that they have the best bar in town. The branding story is reinforced with custom architectural gestures, like barley cut into the metal panels on the staircase, bar taps as the pulls on all private offices, locally fabricated pub tables, and a lit bottle rack above the bar that features all the company’s brands.
Stunning views of the Rocky Mountains (a nod to the Coors logo and reminder of the brand’s Colorado heritage), seating with locally made tables, and a copper-clad bar below a lit bottle rack featuring Molson Coors brands.
The biggest design challenge we faced was marrying the client’s desires for getting mountain views that come with a downtown high rise location, and being in the quintessentially raw, lofty space that’s become a standard in Colorado brewing. The Rocky Mountain views couldn’t be duplicated in a true loft, so the design team opted to break down the formality and rigidity of the typical downtown office building.
The success of this project can be seen in the reinvigorated work force that’s visibly excited to be in the space. Staff and Guests are greeted with the energy of bold branding, warm woods, industrial open ceilings, a polished copper reception desk, and an in-your-face custom keg wall; all of which are direct tribute to company’s industrial and distinctly Colorado roots.
Design: RNL
