NIKE's new york headquarters makes a personal mark on the city

the six-level, 150,000-square-foot space is not the only aspect of NIKE’s new york headquarters that makes its design impressive. the interior’s impeccable renovation, spearheaded by WSDIA and STUDIOS architecture, is filled with custom features that emphasize the company’s long and notable history. the space includes an indoor basketball court, workspaces, VIP and workout spaces, a NIKE heritage inspired VW van, and a 90-foot, planted swoosh on the rooftop terrace.

all images courtesy of NIKE

the location plays a key role in the overall design concept. WSDIA, the company responsible for the space’s wayfinding, signage, and branding features, described the project’s design foundation: ‘the main directive — architecturally and graphically — was to highlight the synergy between new york city and NIKE, by examining sport themed floors through the lens of NYC… both are bold, vibrant and constantly breaking new ground.’

the headquarters were designed to pay homage to the city’s many extraordinary athletes

the space pays homage to the city’s many extraordinary athletes, including areas that feature michael jordan and derek jeter. many aspects of the space also evoke memories of the company’s early years. the interior includes a 30-foot bark wall to highlight NIKE’s oregon origins and an orange VW van sits prominently at the top the stairs — resembling the van used by bill bowerman and phil knight to distribute their first pairs of NIKE shoes.

 the space covers nearly 150,000 square feet across six floors at 855 avenue of the americas

STUDIOS architecture’s open plan makes for a more free-spirited, collaborative work environment. at the same time, the company has also collaborated with the surrounding city on projects, such as the stanton street courts, to foster community growth and wellness. the new headquarters will continue this mission. 

wayfinding and signage feature a custom typeface made exclusively for the space

the 4,000-square-foot indoor basketball court will not only be used by visiting NIKE-sponsored athletes, like lebron james, but also local high school teams and community partners. a 90-foot NIKE ‘swoosh’ sits prominently on the headquarter’s roof, emphasizing the company’s presence in both the international sports world and the NYC community. 

the facility contains a 4,000-square-foot indoor basketball court, complete with seating for 400

project info:

architect: STUDIOS architecture
contractor: JT magan & company inc.
creative director: michael spoljaric, senior creative director, nike global basketball
project management: jeni reetz, nike wd+c brand design
creative direction/design: WSDIA | weshoulddoitall
wayfinding/signage: WSDIA | weshoulddoitall
bleacher design: corey yurkovich with WSDIA | weshoulddoitall
brand collaborators: dark igloo (food truck art), carolina moscoso (NYC marathon booth), braulio amado (booth art), alisa keegan (bark wall carving), micah (custom wall tiles on 2nd fl), faust (booth art), kam tang (ajxi ceiling tile), more and more ltd (motion graphics)
fabricators: lit (bleachers), axiom (custom wall tiles & food truck VW van retrofit), pink sparrow (bark wall), miniwiz (conference room ceiling tiles), artisan signcorp (wayfinding & signage), color x (environmental graphics)

Save

Save

Save

Save