Supernal LLC, Hyundai Motor Group’s (HMG) Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company wanted its policy and commercial hub in Washington, D.C. to be “Better than Home”.

Supernal’s vision is to develop a new transportation ecosystem that will define how we move, connect and live with democratized mobility alternatives for a more sustainable future. Studio O+A's design team in partnership with FOX Architects wanted to create a forward-thinking work environment based on Supernal’s revolutionary goals. An overarching design concept, “Wisdom of Swarm” inspired by flight and collective intelligence found in nature and a new set of customized space typologies were developed. Planning principles were deployed to guide employees and visitors walking through the 3-story workplace with a curated experience, maximized flexibility and adaptability.

The first-floor lobby and Innovation Center offers a welcoming experience with a dynamic interconnecting staircase to bring the journey to the upper floors.

On the second floor one is greeted by the “Foyer” and “Ideation Room”, which can be accessed by the invited guests and employees. The second floor offers various enclosed meeting room types, such as “Courtyard” (Flexible/ re-configurable multi-purpose rooms), “Central Square” (open collaboration space, living room like “Homeroom” with multiple configurations to adapt various functions), Interview rooms and phone rooms. The hoteling offices can be used as meeting rooms and the open workspaces are enclosed to address security issues. The new atrium was designed to maximize sunlight access and to create a sense of belonging. The eco-café provides various equitable seating opportunities for individuals and/or teams to utilize throughout the day.

The third floor was planned to support daily team collaborations and focused work. We created an “Idea Lab” where employees can brainstorm as teams physically and virtually in various meeting room settings. The open workspaces offer acoustic separations from the rest of the spaces, while “Incubators” and “Think Tanks” allow for small team collaboration. “Incubators” are custom designed with operable acoustic fins, which are meant to cause curiosity and playfulness. The indoor “Arboretum” is one of the most popular typologies where people find tranquil moments away from intense workdays.

The brand moments were designed to convey the overall concept throughout the office and the corporate wayfinding systems created by Studio O+A have been implemented in three other Supernal locations to date.

The overall design cues are humble, authentic and industrial. Every detail is designed to be functional, not decorative. The finishes were carefully selected with considerations of Red-List free materials, Sustainability, Human/ Environment/ community health to align with Supernal’s sustainable future goals.