Ames Headquarters

Overview of the project and space. 

Ames is a tool manufacturing company that draws its roots in 1776 when Captain John Ames began making America's first shovels. They stand on the statement "Our tools built America." Since then, the company has acquired and incorporated other national brands like ClosetMaid and the Griffon Corporation. 

The company, which had grown and spread roots across several locations, hoped to consolidate its offices to the recently renovated ClosetMaid headquarters in Lake Nona, FL. In partnership with Walker Design LLC, JLL, Common Sense Office Furniture, and Hanson Construction, they added Ames' new headquarters on the second floor of ClosetMaid's office. The 25,000 square foot office space supports around 100 employees, incorporating their marketing, accounting, sales, development, administration, and customer service teams in one centralized location.

What was the design vision for the space and why?

Ames crafts custom residential products, so they wanted their office to reflect a high-end residential feel that would appeal to high end clients. They also focus greatly on gardening tools, so they wanted to incorporate elements of nature through their color and material choices. 

To do this, they chose primarily greens, greys, and browns that could naturally be found outdoors. Then, they added in biophilia throughout, to bring nature that much closer. Dynamic wood walls, lighting, and flooring all incorporated the warmth of wood. 

Of course, Ames also had to think about how their team could work together and find the spaces they needed to thrive. To do this, they created workstations for each department, paired with a soft seating area in each zone, so that teams would have personalized collaborative areas. This structure, combined with training rooms, a cafe, and natural tones brought their vision to life. 

What problems were you trying to solve with the new space?

The team wanted to unify the brands under the Ames portfolio and update their office to attract talent. Their previous office was very traditional, lacking details like height adjustability, visibility, and collaborative areas for teams. 

Today, Ames’ headquarters is located just above their newly renovated ClosetMaid office, unifying their brands. Their employees have access to height adjustability as well as many more wellness-focused details like a quiet room, boardrooms, and areas for connection. 

How did the team reflect the mission and vision of the company through design? 

Ames specializes in manufacturing gardening tools, so the design team drew in elements of nature through color: greens, grays, and browns. For an added touch, they also actually incorporated Ames' tool handles as door handles throughout the office, even including an embossed "Ames" brand.

In comparison to ClosetMaid, one of the companies in Ames' family of brands, Ames' headquarters also took on a slightly more sophisticated feel to match their executive team. Ultimately, Ames was built on a long history of craftsmanship in the United States, and their new office feels both fresh and timeless, built to attract talent and respect their foundation.