Inside Form Technologies’ New Headquarters

By Jodi Werner Greenwald | Photos by Raymond J. Photography

Posted on February 10, 2021

Form Technologies is a leading global group of precision component manufacturers operating 29 design and production facilities in 19 countries worldwide. In response to growth, the company looked to increase its Ballantyne footprint.

The resulting new, modern headquarters in the Irby Building promotes teamwork and a sense of playfulness. Board games have a place, as do complex geometries and other design nods to the company’s work in metal engineering.

We spoke with Lucia Stetson, Form Technologies’ director of the Project Management Office and chief of staff to the CEO, to learn more about the project. We lightly edited her responses.

Form Technologies
Location:
Irby Building, 11325 N. Community House Rd, Charlotte, 28277
Size: 21,582 SF
Design: REDLINE Design Group
Project Management: Northwood Office
Furniture Supplier: CBI
Completed: January 2020
General Contractor: Harker, LLC

What are your staff members’ favorite aspects of the new space?

The team has loved the additions of the collaborative and functional spaces. The design allows for us to work in many ways – casually, collaboratively, formally and with the flexibility to meet our individual needs. At Form Technologies, we focus on cross-functional and collaborative teamwork, and our space is tailored to that mission.

What were Form Technologies’ driving motivations for moving into and upfitting the new space (from the studs!)?

Form Technologies has expanded our HQ footprint over the past several years, adding several employees and functional departments to our home base of Charlotte, North Carolina. As we grew out of our former space we found the ideal opportunity to increase our office space here in Ballantyne while designing functionality for the future.

What were some of your wish list items for the project?

Providing flexible space for multi-purpose and continued growth was foundational in our decision making. Some of my personal favorite wish list items include our executive lounge, which showcases some of our work on display, and a built-in ice machine that has kept all our employees particularly happy and hydrated.

Thoughts to share about the design, color and material choices? The overall aesthetic?

We focused on modernizing while staying true to our branding. You will see complex geometries and the use of metal throughout the space, which both serve as a nod to our metal engineering background. We meticulously selected all the colors, fabrics and textiles to align with our branding and image. I worked very closely with our vendors, architects and contractors, and I think the results reflect the vision beautifully.

Please tell us more about the board games and lounge spaces.

We spend a lot of time in our office space as a team. Therefore, we wanted to provide areas to engage each other in a fun and casual way and foster the team-building and collaborative mindset that are central to our mission. The open spaces, board games, foosball and corn hole area are available to all our employees. We want them to take a moment, work through a problem or have a team-building experience while at work. Afternoon Bananagrams remain a favorite of our marketing team.

How did the pandemic impact the upfit?

We moved into the space at the end of January, just before the pandemic. We have been able to remain open for most of 2020 given the flexible areas, large offices and open space.

What do you like most about the office being in Ballantyne?

Our employees live all across the area, between Charlotte, South Carolina, Union County, by the Lake – Ballantyne has been an ideal center to build our headquarters convenient to our local employees. In addition, our colleagues, customers and business collaborators visit us from all over the world, and Ballantyne provides excellent lodging and services to host our traveling partners.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

We look forward to growing into our space and learning new and exciting ways to work together, supported by beautiful design and thoughtful function.