Members of the media were introduced to Hubbell Lighting's new corporate headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina during a two-day press event in early July. The 185,000-square-foot building gathers the administrative and sales offices of Hubbell's 16 brands under one roof for the first time in the company's history, and also features in-house laboratory testing areas and an educational facility—the Lighting Solutions Center.
Situated on a prominent site overlooking Interstate 85, the building reinforces Hubbell's choice of Greenville as its new home, and in turn its commitment to the area—a fast-growing corporate business corridor located halfway between Charlotte, North Carolina and Atlanta, and home to an international roster of companies such as German automaker BMW. The four-story headquarters also reinforces Hubbell's and group vice president Scott Muse's commitment to architecture, lighting, and the environment. The $41 million project is seeking a silver LEED rating. Designed by Spartanburg, South Carolina-based architects McMillan Smith & Partners and lighting design firm Visual Terrain of Van Nuys, California, the new facility draws on a material palette of stone, steel, glass, and light, in a clean, contemporary style that showcases the collaboration between architect and lighting designer. One of the major challenges for lighting designer Dawn Hollingsworth was finding ways to incorporate each of the luminaire brands into a flexible, articulate, energy-efficient design. The result is a project that showcases exemplary lighting design without going overboard.
And just as the entire new facility acts as a real-world laboratory for lighting applications, so too will the Lighting Solutions Center, under the direction of Mark Lien. Five demonstration areas addressing current lighting issues of import, such as daylighting and solid-state lighting, will serve as an educational resource to Hubbell staff as well as architects and lighting designers. A full schedule of seminars and online offerings are being developed for 2008.
