Title: Anthem Technology Center
Location of Proejct: Atlanta, Georgia
Project Completion Date: March 25, 2020
Firm Name: Portman Architects

Short Description: In the heart of Midtown Atlanta, Phase I of Anthem Technology Center is an integrated response to Tech Square’s ongoing commitment to innovative stewardship. Containing a variety of workspaces for the district’s collaborative-based experiences, this open and light-filled building embodies its synergistic and interdisciplinary IT approach to consumer healthcare initiatives. The resulting technology center opened in the spring of 2020 to acclaim from the university and the public alike. By promoting an entrepreneurial mindset and a bias towards vibrant pedestrian connectivity, the project activates a vibrant live-learn-work-play environment within one of the most progressive technology hubs of the 21st century.

Architect's Statement: The Owner, a Fortune 500 company and one of the world’s leading health-benefits firms, looked to expand their IT footprint in Atlanta. Anthem taps into Midtown's abundance of highly skilled talent, as the area is known as Atlanta's thriving center for creativity, technology, and innovation, with 70% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 25,000 students enrolled in higher education. To realize the innovative vision of a health-based collaborative office, the design looked to impact and enhance the consumer healthcare experience, help improve the quality of care and lower healthcare costs. Throughout the process, the design team studied how the urban landscape can increase capacity for connectivity of human-powered living, education and demonstration. To deliver the most optimal environment, the design team designed a 21-story, state-of-the-art structure and build-to-suit office tower offering 353,000 SF of flexible office space to accommodate approximately 3,000 multidisciplinary IT professionals. The design focuses on how people interact within the space and strives to inspire cooperation and creativity with large open floor plans. These elements are linked by a staircase that runs vertically through a series of stacked, double-height spaces that are intended to be used as break-out areas for employees and company gatherings. The vertical integration of programmatic elements allows the building to maximize a compact site area within the urban context. The resulting ultramodern building inspires engagement and creativity, enabling Anthem employees to work smarter through modernization and digitization, and curates a personalized and overall better experience for Anthem’s affiliated health plan members.

Core to implementing the vision for Anthem Technology Center is a focus on promoting and advancing an energized street life. Located at the corner of West Peachtree and 4th Streets, Phase I of Anthem Technology Center serves the emergent technology corridor amidst NCR’s headquarters, Coda, Georgia Tech’s Tech Square and Norfolk Southern’s Headquarters. The building’s urban location gives its employees easy access to the North Avenue MARTA Station, bus routes and a variety of other transit options. The building shares a city block, integrated active ground floor space, parking, and exterior terraces with Anthem Technology Center at 712 West Peachtree next door. The building contributes to the growing skyline and offers stunning views of Midtown and Downtown Atlanta from its 13 office floors atop an 8-story parking deck. The ground condition at the base of the building continues the emphasis on activity at street level. A 15-foot cantilever implemented along the main facades allows the building envelope to be recessed at street level, creating greater space for sidewalks to encourage pedestrian circulation along West Peachtree and 4th streets. The building’s design provides a variety of creative spaces that support a collaborative work environment. The entrance and lobby space of the building is intended to be continuations of the streetscape, yet are distinguished by warmer materials, furniture, lighting, and sculptural elements. For example, a custom monumental stair gives the public access to the innovation department located on the mezzanine level. A collaborative atmosphere for tenants is supported through connectivity to nature and an elevated connection to workspaces. The outdoor terraces are split between level 8 and level 16 towards the south, northeast and southwest, for a total of 14,000 square feet, allow for an inviting green space, bringing the outside in, to support health and wellness. A pedestrian sky bridge on the 16th floor offers fluid access with its sister building 712 West Peachtree, currently under construction, and completes the integrative loop started at the shared outdoor terraces on level 8.

Of notable sustainable advances, this LEED Silver project incorporates a facade made up of floor-to-ceiling glass windows and tridimensional matte-silver metal panels. The windows allow a large amount of natural light to permeate the office environment, while the metal panels filter light to create an undulating resonance of reflections and shadows. Functionally, some panels are perforated to allow more air circulation and shade screen during the day. The front of the building showcases unique features such as the city's first kinetic wall. The building provides large open floor plans and more than 14,000 SF of expansive outdoor terraces, bringing the outside in with inviting green spaces that overlook the city while simultaneously supporting tenants' health and wellness. Every other level of the office tower is interconnected by a communicating stair to promote physical movement and collaboration from level to level. The functions along these terraces vary from grab n’ go coffee spots, to a catering/prep kitchen for corporate events, and access to an adjoining building on multiple levels. Two-story atrium spaces connect the two halves of the building to provide areas for employees to team-build and mingle. Additionally, the building attracts leading talent from the surrounding communities with two lifestyle amenity levels that offer dining options, lounges, game rooms, and exterior terraces.