Rocket Mortgage
Since the pandemic, Mr. Cooper (now Rocket Mortgage) has operated as a remote-first company, and when we began this project, fewer than half their individual workspaces were occupied on a daily basis. This renovation consolidates their three underutilized offices into one central hub reimagined to support the workplace’s evolution into a social and cultural destination.
Before the renovation, the offices reflected a different era, with a dense layout of assigned cubicles and minimal space for gathering and collaboration. Beyond physical constraints, the space failed to reflect the client’s vibrant, people-first culture that thrives on connection.
Now, the client has a versatile hub for meaningful gatherings. Collaborative space increased from less than 1% to 30% of the plan, anchored by flexible hubs or “we-spaces” that energize each floor. And the design language mirrors the company’s hospitality-driven ethos, emphasizing warmth with an “inside-out” approach that uses wood tones, organic forms, and natural light to soothe and inspire.
The original layout involved a dense maze of cubicles so tall they blocked windows and light, plus enclosed private offices with poor visibility and no legible path through the space. The office was actively working against the culture the company aspired to.
The updated look and feel prioritizes well-being at every scale, inverting what was enclosed and restrictive into an office that feels airy, interconnected, inviting, and intuitive. We pulled the calming influence of nature inside to give the project its material and atmospheric identity, democratizing access to daylight and views, and adding biomorphic elements like petal-shaped lighting in the ceiling designed to mimic skylights.
Two large town halls were designed for quarterly all-hands meetings, and an upgraded suite of recording studios—including a podcast room with a cyclorama—support the client’s practice of maintaining continuous virtual connection across a distributed workforce.
Meanwhile, flexible “we-spaces” on each floor give employees genuine choice when it comes to how and where the work. These hubs offer a variety of seating and flexible environments tailored to different work modes, from focused individual tasks to informal collaboration and social interaction.
The client’s culture was our North Star throughout this project. Their research determined that full-team gatherings just three to four times a year can boost team connection by 27%, a boost that lasts as long as five months, and that in-person activities should center on collaboration, celebration, and learning. The design makes these in-person moments count. Our workplace strategy focused on maximizing shared spaces, with nearly 70% of the office designed as shared-use environments and half of workstations operating as free-address.
