CoolSys Opens New World HQ in Brea, CA

Exciting things going on at CoolSys - the nations leading provider of mission critical refrigeration and HVAC design, installation and repair services. In mid December CoolSys completed construction of its new corporate HQ. The 8 month project was a reunion of sorts, representing the 2nd time in 9 years that I have partnered with Steven Drucker of Shlemmer, Algaze and Associates (SAA), Turelk Construction and Allsteel Furniture to build out a new HQ space. This new CoolSys facility will house approximately 120 of our 1700 total employees.

The theme at work throughout the 27,000 sq. ft. floor is "glacial ice" - after all, at CoolSys, the company mission is to keep things cold! Throughout the space you'll see evidence of the design theme. Whether it's the fractured drywall and open, backlit, dark blue ceilings that are reminiscent of glacial ice calving into the ocean, or the central ice flow that is created by multi colored carpet squares and meanders through the central core of the space, patterned after Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska.

Bottom line, a headquarters environment should convey to visitors what a company does and also what it believes. An attractive HQ space adds significant shareholder value by attracting investors, and an aesthetically pleasing space serves as a recruiting magnet for acquiring talent, and retaining employees!

Shown below is the new lobby area. Note the fracturing of the drywall and back lit ceiling. Notice how the "ice flow" is actually colored carpet squares that flow through the central areas of the space. My favorite design touch - the built in ice cream freezers and reach in beverage cooler, a throw back to our roots of designing, installing and servicing the cold and frozen food display sections inside grocery stores!

As the space flows, our board room is just off the lobby. Here we feature state of the art dual 85" multimedia displays with technology to support a host of communication needs and methods.

The space has a combination of open work areas and private offices - all employees have electric height adjustable work spaces. This is a pre-move photo, the numbers were there to help the movers know where boxes with personal belongings went.

Here are some examples of the teaming areas and small conference rooms that dot the space. Some companies can have a total open environment, others need some level of privacy. Designing a space that works for the company (as opposed to just being cool and trendy) is important, after all - we need to function here for the next 10 years!

Another central area that employees love is our break room, aptly named "The Chill". While there are literally 100+ restaurants and eateries within a mile or two, many people want a private place to take a break, unwind, and have some "me" time. Our break room has a nice feature, an outdoor patio that overlooks the project courtyard, gym and pool. Employees can dine in or take in some fresh air.

Here is a look inside my corner of the world. Nice but not ostentatious. I'm a simple guy and wanted an inviting space for employees to come visit and meet with the boss.

After 9/11 happened, I became a strong believer in having ample TV's installed throughout a space. Our floor has no less than two dozen tv's (including conference rooms, lobby, break room and office areas). When life happens outside the walls of HQ, employees want to know and be informed.

One of the things I love about our new location - "Brea Place" is that it is part of a larger mixed use project that upon completion includes residential apartments, stores, a new Marriott hotel and a farmers market. All of this is located just across the street from the upscale Brea Mall and means an employee can quite literally live, eat, work, and shop (old school), without ever commuting again! Say goodbye to LA/Orange County traffic!

A new year brings with it a new beginning. At CoolSys we are busy challenging our status quo, reinventing process so we can continue to lead an industry for decades to come! We have begun a journey of disrupting ourselves, less we be disrupted by others! Due to growth and expansion, we literally have 50 to 100 openings across the country every day! Come join the CoolSys team where we have passion for customer service and for each other! Look for a new national training center coming in 2018!

https://CoolSys.com/