Mastering Space Utilization

By Kelly Shields, LEED AP

March 29, 2024

When Pizza Hut of Fort Wayne, owned by Freeland Group Restaurants, moved from its former headquarters to downtown Fort Wayne, company leaders wanted to make sure the new building was not only functional, but also welcoming.

“We wanted to create a space where we could remember the past, but move into the future,” says President/ CEO Todd Hollman.

They sought the help of Design Collaborative. The team came up with a design that met the needs of Pizza Hut employees in a fun, creative way that promoted teamwork and efficiency. There are many factors to consider when designing a space, whether it’s brand new or being retrofitted, so the first step when working with a client is understanding exactly how the area will be used.

“We always encourage employee input, whether that’s through a survey, a town hall discussion or focus groups.

We really want to hear from the end user. We want to find out their needs, what they find lacking or what they struggle with,” explains Design Collaborative Senior Architectural Graduate Kelly Shields. Shields says the pandemic drastically changed how businesses think about their buildings. Some require more independent work from employees and need private workspaces. Others have adopted remote or hybrid policies and need to incorporate more technology to make that possible. And yet others need larger rooms for in-person collaboration. “In many cases, we come up with areas that are multi-functional,” Shields says.

ALEC interior of workstations and soft seating meeting area

“Flexible spaces will be used more, so those that can flow into each other and expand are great.” – Kelly Shields

It’s a good idea to keep the future in mind, too, says Hollman. As the company has expanded and added Dave’s Hot Chicken, it has needed to reimagine its headquarters. “We’ve made a lot of changes just in the four years we’ve been downtown,” he says. “We’re constantly thinking about how our current needs might evolve.” Change doesn’t always have to lead to a big, expensive construction project. Sometimes it can be as simple as replacing furniture. “Instead of having a giant boardroom table that is tethered to the ground, for example, you might have flexible furniture that can move around,” Shields says. “People may want to take their laptop and sit on a couch or sit at a counter, so we’re creating spaces that allow people to work in different settings. We’ve been more intentional about that than we have ever been before.

We work closely with our clients to make sure their spaces are inviting and functional at the same time,” says Shields. That’s why Hollman and his team chose to work with Design Collaborative, knowing that no matter how their needs change, they’ll be in good hands. “We fell in love with Design Collaborative because of their people-first culture — we’re very much that way, so it was a logical choice. They were able to help with our vision of creating a place where people love coming to work,” he concludes.

Article featured in Business People Magazine.

Author

Kelly Shields, LEED AP

Senior Architectural Graduate,

“My personal ethos comes from my dad: make it a great day.” When he joined the firm nearly two decades ago, Kelly quickly became part of many of the firm’s most complex and exciting projects. Kelly’s design mindset is Socratic in nature—he’s an inherently curious human being and loves asking questions and learning, especially if…

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