Project Description
SCB has recently competed the architectural and interior design for Valvoline’s new headquarters in Lexington, KY. The 162,000-square-foot building was designed to support the growing company by creating a unique, open, and flexible workplace that reflects the legacy and future of the Valvoline brand. The design response is composed of two, four-story office bars connected by a central glass volume, forming a dynamic, V-shaped plan which embraces a vehicular drop-off court. The transparency of the ground floor allows the building’s mass to appear to float above the landscape, while the beveled ends of the office bars evoke a sense of movement and motion towards the surrounding landscape. Access to day light was a key design driver for the project. The uniquely shaped plan for the building, coupled with narrow floorplates ensure that all workstations have access to natural light. The glass connector serves as the social hub for the building, providing meeting rooms, breakout spaces, a pantry on each floor, and the formal entry lobby on the ground floor. The double-height lobby features an exhibition on Valvoline’s history and innovations in engine performance; flanking the lobby are the building’s shared amenity spaces including a cafeteria, fitness center, and conference/training center. A four-story open stair spatially links the lobby with the floors above, and offers employees an alternative to the adjacent elevators, and an opportunity to informally engage with colleagues.