The Motley Fool
Founded in 1993 by brothers Tom and David Gardner, The Motley Fool helps millions of people attain financial freedom by providing premium investing services – with a decidedly Foolish bent. Headquarter in Alexandra, VA, The Motley Fool selected ONE Global Design member firms, FOX Architects (DC) and Acquilano Inc. (Denver),for the design of their western office at 555 17th Street in downtown Denver.
Location: Denver, CO
Size: 25,000 SF
Contractor: Boots Construction
Professional Partners: FOX Architects, Cresa Project Management, VH Engineering, Klok Group, MOI Furniture
Photography: Jess Blackwell
Question Conventional Wisdom
The company’s name is in homage to the one character in Shakespearean literature who speak freely without concern of retribution — the court jester. The Fools of yore entertained the court with humor that instructed as it amused. More importantly, the Fool was never afraid to question conventional wisdom. Like the jester, these Motley Fools were questioning conventional wisdom long before the pandemic struck. They believe that people should have the freedom to follow their passion every day in roles they love and directed us to design accordingly. The outcome is an entirely free-address business hub with complete mobility and choice of atmosphere – be it breakroom, conference, task seating, or even home.
“It was refreshing to implement designs for a financial entity that is doing things differently. They had us break the mold. This space reflects the future of workplaces and investors alike.”
– Rick Alexander, Acquilano
“Fox and Acquilano were incredible partners on our large Denver project. There was a seamless and professional handoff as we shifted from design planning to the buildout itself. Each team did an incredible job communicating and kept me updated on the project as I was fully remote and unable to travel due to Covid. They were quick to address our concerns and worked tirelessly to ensure we remained on budget throughout. I’d highly recommend both Fox and Acquilano and look forward to working with them again in the future.”
-Shannon McLendon, People Experience Team at The Motley Fool
Knowing your audience
The Motely Fool values every dollar spent as an investment in the future. As a result a lot of hard work was devoted to understanding and delivering on the individual needs of employees – the sole target audience for this space. Fool aren’t concerned with impressing clients at the facility, so we were free to focus on creating a Smarter, Happier, and Richer space that reflected the organization’s culture and fresh take on investing. Importance of good value and practical design choices were prioritized to maintain the project budget. We invested more on quality lighting, acoustics, and technology and saved on extravagant finishes – using bold carpets, patterns, and color instead.
“My favorite bit of this project is the subtle touch of magenta FOX specified. It’s a seldom-used color variant in the company logo and it works so perfectly as an unexpected accent against the blue and green. It’s proof that budget is not a constraint on creativity or attention to detail.”
-Rick Alexander, Acquilano
We Love Meeting New People
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