A New Headquarters Is the Grand Prize
Publishers Clearing House, Corporate Headquarters
Workplace
Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is best known for the roving prize patrol van and surprise delivery of giant checks to unsuspecting winners. However, it’s not just all sweepstakes and games for the company. As digital media became more and more part of their business, an upgrade their headquarters was in order.
CEO Andy Goldberg desired a workplace that would be respectful to the past, yet firmly focused on the future. ZGF immersed themselves in PCH’s existing processes and culture to understand nuances of the organization and tease out ways the design of a new corporate home could enhance, support and reinforce the organization’s evolution from traditional direct marketing strategies toward a new multi- channel, digital media venture.
Key to the new office was connection as PCH’s existing office reinforced silos among the teams. ZGF’s design team realized before any space planning could be done, a fresh look at the client’s org chart was in order, keeping in mind PCH’s desired corporate transformation. With a new view of departmental relations and potential connectivities in hand, design of the PCH offices immediately followed.
Location
Jericho, NY
Square Feet
177,000
Completion date
2017
Project Component
Architecture services
Interior design and space planning
The headquarters is the physical expression of PCH’s changing brand and culture, reflecting and supporting their evolution from direct marketing to multi-channel, digital media venture.
The three-story headquarters now fosters a sense of community among employees while providing state-of-the-art studios for photography, video production, and data analytics. The design celebrates transparency between an interdependent organization. The office can easily support multiple workstyles and open plan spaces provide unfettered connections to teammates. Open and enclosed spaces are available for focused work, collaboration, and conferencing. Material selections throughout the new workplace maintain transparency for PCH’s employees.
The use of wood, stone, glass, and pops of color throughout the workplace provide a refined yet bold palette
With over 600 employees spread across three floors, the staircase and atrium were designed to allow ease of movement from one side of the office to another and accommodate company meetings and events. The terrazzo staircase is suspended from diminutive steel rods. It connects the café to shared amenities and workspace on the upper levels to enhance the work culture. Hand-made wood and steel partitions provide privacy while maintaining visibility between team neighborhoods. Glass corners offer views between adjoining spaces.
The new design didn’t just solve the issue of where people work, but how they work. The prize for this historic brand is a headquarters that better supports everyone’s workflow and helps employees stay connected.
The outside space is a seamless extension of the café, providing employees with the option to work, eat, or have meetings outside.
PCH’s collection of art—featuring primarily New York artists, such as Sol Lewitt and Gloria Vanderbilt—is featured throughout the design.
“I had never embarked on such an intense journey, but quickly discovered that the team was able to totally ‘get’ the essence of what we were trying to achieve and brought us to a place that we really didn’t even expect.”
Andy Goldberg, CEO, Publishers Clearing House
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