Photography by Alise O'Brien
1 Memorial, Ste. 2000
314-821-5888
Software company ShipWorks’ mission is all about connections. Specifically, it brings sellers and customers together: When an item is purchased online, the software allows companies to quickly access information and ship items right away. So it was only fitting that after years of being separated into two offices—engineering in Springfield, Ill., customer support in Manchester—the company merged into a single office, connecting its own employees.
Co-founders Wes Clayton and Brian Nottingham had always thought of ShipWorks as a St. Louis company, so downtown was a natural choice. They met with Nehring Design (nehringdesign.com) to build a space that emphasized connection and innovation. “Design starts with function,” says architect Alan Nehring. “It was our goal to create a transparent space—to meld separate rooms into one large environment, yet maintain each room’s character.”
Glass walls serve as writing surfaces for spontaneous brainstorming. The work areas flow into a central room, where both the support and engineering teams gather to relax and connect. “A number of features we’ve released recently and plan to release in the future have been a direct result of our physical workspace,” says Clayton, “and its impact on intra-office communication.”
