Designed for the Future of Aviation
Supernal is on a mission to open city skies by accelerating a new zero-carbon mobility paradigm – electric air vehicles that operate with an unrelenting focus on safety, customer needs, and ground-to-air connectivity.
Supernal
Supernal invested substantial resources in enhancing their office environment, emphasizing cohesion between two strategically located facilities in northern and southern California. Each facility in Fremont (Northern California) and Irvine (Southern California) was meticulously planned and designed to serve its specialized purpose, with the Research and Development headquarters in Fremont and the Engineering headquarters in Irvine. Their objective was to seamlessly connect employees across offices, maintaining a consistent experience and strengthening a unified organizational identity. This approach serves as the cornerstone for integrating diverse office locations while fostering distinct regional identities.
“The location of the Fremont office was selected because of the talent in the Silicon Valley area. With respect to the design of the Fremont Office, we were inspired by the executive chair and our CEO, Jaiwon Shin to design a space that is better than home, a place where employees want to come to work, where they have a lot more options to sit and work in different kinds of spaces that is better than home. We took that to heart, making it so that employees have a great place to work, have lots of options, and want to come work.”
“Irvine is the center of aviation and aerospace talent … So really this office is key in realizing Superman’s vision of bringing AM to market.”
~Niraj Nath – Head of Facilities
With a guiding principle of “kinship,” Supernal integrates sustainability, equity, and technology into their Engineering HQ in Southern California. The central three-story staircase and living wall serve as focal points, promoting connectivity between engineering floors and fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. Purpose-built accessibility solutions are woven into both buildings’ designs, inspiring and rejuvenating all employees.
Supernal Waterworks
This Southern California R&D headquarters is dedicated to ongoing development and future growth. The technologies being developed here are unprecedented, necessitating continuous innovation. Therefore, the facility’s design is highly adaptable and flexible, supporting extensive future planning and ensuring ongoing adaptability throughout the process.
Transparency is crucial for visibility and showcasing the facility’s activities. Large windows allow stakeholders to view and appreciate the work without disrupting the engineers. Additionally, large vertical lift glass doors facilitate the easy movement of equipment and materials of various sizes and connect different rooms and departments. This design not only promotes communication but also fosters a sense of unity and commitment to the greater purpose.
Supernal Fremont
The design is emblematic of a shift in creating a dynamic work environment that are typically secondary for R&D facilities. Prioritizing functionality, choice and a sense of belonging, it represents the first Supernal R&D office in Fremont California and was meant to set the stage for cultivation of the Supernal culture – ‘A place that welcomes, inspires, and is better than home.’
Set in a large non-descript warehouse, the office space feels expansive with high ceilings, natural light and plant life woven throughout. One of the key features is the ‘command center,’ a large central gathering space bookended by bleachers and bridged by a mezzanine, this employee hearth provides an airy space upon entering from the lobby and provides a space for all hands meetings and events. Flexible furniture and folding glass walls provide additional adaptivity for the employees to choose what the of function they need. The mezzanine connects the bleachers and offer unparalleled views to the command center and the mountains in the distance.
The main open office is designed to resemble a city scape with the built environment undulating across the space. Team hubs, called ‘Homerooms’ create spaces to collaborate and relax together. There are also flexible work areas, where teams can shape their environment to how they need to work using moveable furniture, integrated technology, and flexible whiteboard configurations.
Supernal Laguna Canyon
Supernal’s innovative engineering HQ in Irvine seamlessly integrates sustainability, equity, and technology, embodying the ideal of an office “better than home.” The central three-story staircase
and living wall serve as focal points, fostering connectivity and collaboration among engineering teams. Strategically positioned team “homerooms” and versatile spaces cater to group interactions and relaxation, with adaptable furniture enhancing a sense of ownership among employees. Purpose-built amenities, such as a sensory retreat, nap pods, a wellness-focused kombucha bar, and a comprehensive fitness center, underscore the company’s commitment to employee well-being. Accessibility solutions are seamlessly integrated, ensuring effortless navigation through intuitive design elements. Furthermore, the office prioritizes sustainability by maximizing natural light, employing organic materials, and embracing a restrained approach to finishes, exemplifying Supernal’s dedication to environmental stewardship.
The focal point, a soaring three-story living wall, mimics the fluidity of landscapes, mirroring the graceful flow of the staircase. Intentionally avoiding density, the living wall incorporates open sections, offering employees glimpses of the grand staircase. Carefully curated plantings reflect high-altitude landscapes, while metallic tubes symbolize intersecting flight paths. Crafting this masterpiece required collaboration among diverse trades—woodwork, metalwork, structural design, horticulture, and maintenance—to seamlessly synchronize elements. This intricate coordination ensured the harmonious fusion of wooden frames, metal tubes, structural components, and live plant support systems, resulting in a breathtaking testament to collective craftsmanship.
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Interior Design Magazine Feature
Supernal Laguna Canyon
Supernal Waterworks:
Stan Lew / Eunice Furuta / Shia Stennis / Stefanie Wibiasa
HIIT Contracting Inc., General Contractor
Garrett Rowland, Photography
Supernal Fremont:
Stan Lew / Jenna Wittenberg / Jenna Szczech / Stefanie Wibiasa
GCI, General Contractors
Syska, MEP
KPFF, Structural
One Workplace, Furniture Dealer
O+A, Branding Design
Main Sequence Tech, AV
Salter, Acoustics
Jason O’Rear, Photography
Supernal Laguna Canyon
Stan Lew / Jenna Wittenberg / Jenna Szczech / Nelly Paz / Kristen Beus / Felice Rosario
HIIT Contracting Inc., General Contractor
Syska, MEP
KPFF, Structural
One Workplace, Furniture Dealer
O+A, Branding Design
Main Sequence Tech, AV
Salter, Acoustics
Habitat Horticulture, Living Wall
Garrett Rowland, Photography