Qualtrics

In Seattle, Qualtrics replaced the traditional central gathering space with a quarter-mile Hero Path spanning three floors and two stairwells. The route links the Brew Hub, café, all-hands space, and work neighborhoods, turning everyday circulation and walking meetings into opportunities for connection. Reston adapts the idea as an elliptical corridor inspired by the DC Beltway. Interconnecting stairs encourage movement between floors, while inner and outer zones organize the workplace around city and suburban references. Across both locations, the Hero Path becomes more than wayfinding: it distributes energy, brings people across teams into view, and transforms movement into an active part of workplace culture.

A common palette of concrete, steel, wood, and glass establishes continuity, then shifts to reflect each city. Seattle layers its industrial minimalism with music, locally sourced materials, repurposed furnishings, recyclable products, and skateboard-deck swings assembled with marine hardware. Reston balances brick, metal, and concrete with natural wood, greenery, and relaxed textures. Its Blues Café draws from Washington’s jazz history, while a beer garden, game room, musical instruments, terrace, and wellness spaces broaden the workday. Both workplaces pair focus rooms and alternative work settings with generous social spaces, expressing Qualtrics’ culture through environments that feel connected, resourceful, playful, and unmistakably of their place.