ATLANTA—To be a productive workspace, environments must deliver value and comfort to employees. So says Dave Brown, a principal with the office studio of Atlanta-based architecture firm tvsdesign.

Again, he points to the recent groundbreaking of LPL Financial's new southeast regional headquarters near Charlotte, as an example of strong example. He discussed how it breaks the mold in office design in part one of this exclusive interview.

“LPL's new campus will include ergonomic workspaces, a fitness center, a health clinic, varied food choices, and exterior recreation and meeting spaces,” Brown says. “The amenities contribute to an environment that flexes with their needs and connects them to nature and the neighborhood.”

Brown is quick to note that tvsdesign has always worked to connect buildings to their environment, their location and to each other to form a community with spaces for interaction and reflection. In the past, he says, suburban campuses kept to garden-pastoral-collegiate themes. But that is changing.

“Today, Millennials entering the workforce are looking for a more urban environment to support their more connected working styles and interests,” Brown says. 'They also appreciate and demand authenticity, which bodes well for any designers interested in connecting construction to context, region and culture.”

As Brown sees it, the LPL project aligns with tvsdesign's philosophy on design as well as the emerging workforce's expectations. The workspace is being designed using materials and forms that visually connect it with its surrounding, a new master-planned community called Kingsley at Fort Mill, SC.

“White oak trees will be reclaimed from the site and will be used for interior millwork, strengthening that connection and supporting LPL's commitment to responsible stewardship of natural resources,” Brown says. “The LPL team will have access to the nearby 2,100 acre Anne Springs Close Greenway nature preserve and will be just steps away from a commercial town center. Homes, hotels, and other office buildings will be built around the headquarters, making the project an important part of a vibrant community.”