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Foreword by Steven Gonzรกlez

Strategy, design and architecture spark breakthrough ideas.

COLLISIONS Foreword by Steven Gonzรกlez

W H E N G R E AT M I N D S C O L L I D E

MINDS COLLIDE

PDR’s “inside out” philosophy is human-centric. Success starts at the scale of the individual. We address the sitter before the chair;

Collision theory tells us that successful

Workplace collisions are social in

the activities before the floor; the

collisions produce reactions. They have

nature, but their reactions have

objectives before the office. Collisions

enough power, or activation energy,

powerful professional impact. Aside

begin from the inside out as well. They

at the moment of impact to break

from generating ideas, impromptu

are primarily human-scale phenomena.

preexisting bonds and form all new

meetings build culture, encourage

We focus on individual, one-on-one

bonds. Successful workplace collisions

mentorship, forge respect between

interactions, then shift perspective

enable transformation. More than

disciplines, and accelerate speed

to team dynamism, to the enterprise

collaboration as we know it, collisions

of trust. Serendipitous encounters

network, and, finally, beyond the

take two different ideas and bring

shape new opportunities and spark

company into the global market.

them together in a moment of impact

innovation. Whether formal or

Disruptive ideas originate with the

to create innovation—something that

informal, encounters nurture the

collisions between individuals, and the

did not exist before.

singular energy of the individual

energy they spark resonates outward.

and their critical interaction with colleagues. Collisions set the stage for the success of teams and organizations, improving performance regardless of the actual content of the interaction.

Different thinking, different working.

MINDS COLLIDE

Open, flexible spaces encourage unexpected connections.

MINDS COLLIDE

“The place has an energy about it. I’m surprised at how quickly this has become the norm; you don’t remember working in other ways. I think that’s how most other people are experiencing the transition from old to new.”

MINDS COLLIDE

TEAMS HUM

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Workplace collisions are crucial to team dynamics.

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The mysterious “it factor” we see in

When it comes to creating successful

PDR's workplace designs also favor

high-performance teams is influenced

new bonds, collision theory favors

contact over content, and our

by patterns of communication

contact over content. When particles

most significant project to date is

and not necessarily by the content

collide, only a small percentage result

a prime example. The ExxonMobil

of those conversations. How we

in a noticeable or significant chemical

Houston Campus, a workplace for

communicate is more important than

change. To increase the occurrence of

10,000 people, was designed and built

what we communicate. Teams that are

successful collisions, chemists increase

to enable an incredible 3.75 million

energized from within—that are more

the quantity of collisions taking place

collisions per hour. Focused on

engaged with each other on both

by introducing a catalyst—typically by

supporting teams of knowledge

social and formal levels—are also more

applying heat. Rather than attempting

workers as they pioneer the future

productive and committed.

to shape how the reactant molecules

of energy, the workplace provides

make contact, they focus on simply

an opportunity for transformational

making more collisions happen.

thought and action to occur.

COLLISIONS NETWORK

181

Communication patterns at the enterprise level form a complex network of activity between systems of people. The energy at the scale of individual

Dependency describes interactions

Connectivity refers to the beneficial

workers feeds into team dynamism,

between business units that affect

collisions between teams of people

which, in turn, invigorates the various

the “life or death” of a company. For

that help an enterprise evolve in more

operational spheres of a company.

example, one team creates a product,

qualitative ways. Corporate identity,

That growing, shifting tapestry of

another team takes it to market, and yet

reputation, mission, and culture, for

interactivity is a company’s “collisions

another protects its intellectual property.

example, are strengthened through

network.” Although unique and

The success or failure of the company

connective collisions.

intricate, exchanges within the

depends on the effectiveness of their

collisions network take shape as

collective efforts.

two main types: dependent and connective.

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Grand spaces fill with collective purpose.

COLLISIONS NETWORK

197

Celebrate brand in unexpected ways.

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COLLISIONS NETWORK

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS

Scott McDonald © Gray City Studios Jacket back cover, 8–9, 26–9, 61, 68–9, 76–7, 90–1, 94–5, 104 (left), 105, 112–13, 123, 144–5, 150–1, 153, 157, 166–7, 194–5, 210

Joe Aker © Aker Imaging 5, 38–9, 46–7, 60, 78–9, 92–3, 106–7, 138–9, 148–9, 162–3, 170, 171, 183–5, 208–9, 218–19, 222–3, 230–2 John Miller © Hedrich Blessing Photographers 62–3, 100–1 © Lawrence Lander 164–5 Mark Scheyer © Mark Scheyer, Inc. 12–13, 18–19, 42–3, 54–5, 86–9, 124–5, 128–9, 174–9, 190–1, 198–203, 206–7, 216–17 NASA (Public Domain) 6, Mars Curiosity rover self-portrait—"Mojave" site on Mount Sharp, 2015 7, Plot of orbits of known potentially hazardous asteroids, 2013

244

Scott McDonald © Hedrich Blessing Photographers Jacket front cover, 16–17, 23–5, 30–7, 40–1, 44–5, 48–53, 64–7, 80, 108–9, 117, 120–1, 140–1, 146–7, 160–1, 186–7, 204–5, 214–5, 224–5 © Terry Vine 75, 104 (right), 118–19, 122, 134–7, 152, 188–9 © TILTPIXEL 56–9, 70–1, 82–5, 132–3, 142–3, 154–5, 211, 220–1, 226–9 © Woodruff Brown Architectural Photography 168–9

Every effort has been made to trace the original source of copyright material contained in this book. The publishers would be pleased to hear from copyright holders to rectify any errors or omissions. The information and illustrations in this publication have been prepared and supplied by PDR. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, the publishers do not, under any circumstances, accept responsibility for errors, omissions and representations express or implied.

Collisions, the chemistry between people and the ideas they exchange, are what allow companies to achieve the next level of development, impact their industry, and change the ways the world operates. PDR’s portfolio demonstrates the dynamism and elegance of successful, strategic workplaces. The spaces are more than the sum of their parts; more than program and architecture, more than furniture and technology, more than material, or color, or light. The spaces are stages for human interaction. They are platforms for collisions.