Montalba Architects, an architectural firm with numerous projects in the Santa Monica area, debuts the design for the newly expanded 22,000-square-foot office space for a global leader in mindfulness and meditation, Headspace. For a company whose vision is to improve the health and happiness of the world, it was important that the office’s design, in up-and-coming Bergamot Station, reflect the company’s values of mindfulness, innovation, and dedicated purpose.

“As a fellow resident of Bergamot Station, Montalba Architects is dedicated to the development of this world-class arts district,” said Founding Principal David Montalba. “For this project, we were challenged with finding unique ways to bring Headspace’s new office to life by seamlessly juxtaposing group and individual spaces. To honor the core values of the company, we created small spaces where employees could find a moment of personal solace that wouldn’t deter from the surrounding communal environment.”

Montalba Architects’ primary design gesture, in addition to seamlessly creating a modern workplace for employees within the industrial vernacular of the site, was to turn former parking spaces into a large and expansive outdoor courtyard, which flows through the workspace into the central, open-air courtyard on the second floor. The open-air enclosure filters light and greenery into previously dark, isolated spaces and offers a necessary moment of reprieve within the buzzing office environment.

"The goal was to create a space that could reflect our mission and inspire our team to cultivate creativity, productive collaboration and a sense of play," said Louisa Cartwright, Vice President of People at Headspace. 

Headspace has been headquartered at Bergamot Station since 2016, and Montalba Architects new design responds to both the necessary requirements of an office space, as well as Headspace’s cultural needs: flexible workstations, a group meditation area for daily morning mindful breaks, open outdoor areas for work or for meditation, lounge spaces for collective brainstorming and extracurricular office gatherings, private phone booths, collaborative meeting rooms, and large kitchens for daily lunches.

The feature entry stair functions as a workspace that transitions into large stadium seating for company-wide events, providing flexibility throughout the design. A media screen rolls down in front of the large bi-fold door, while a large suspended curtain encases the screen to control light and sound. True to Headspace’s brand philosophy, free-standing meditation pods and quiet meditation areas are available throughout the space to allow employees additional moments of solitude whenever necessary.

About Montalba Architects

Founding Principal David Montalba, FAIA, SIA, started Montalba Architects in 2004 and is the driving force of leadership and design within the firm. Montalba Architects is a diverse architecture and design studio of more than 60 designers based in Santa Monica, CA, with a satellite office in Lausanne, Switzerland. The award-winning practice is engaged in retail, residential, and other select commercial projects in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Believing that architecture and one’s environment can truly improve quality of life, Montalba's approach is humanistic in nature, which often leads to solutions that are discrete, contextual, yet conceptual in their intent, effect, and appeal. Montalba Architects’ original Santa Monica studio is located within Bergamot Station, a creative hub and arts district at 2525 Michigan Ave., Bldg. T4, Santa Monica, CA. Montalba Architects, Sàrl is located at Rue Centrale 6, 4th stage, Lausanne, CH-1003, Switzerland. Further information about Montalba Architects and a full suite of project images can be found at www.montalbaarchitects.com.

About Headspace

Headspace was created with one mission in mind: to improve the health and happiness of the world. Reaching nearly 60 million users in 190 countries, Headspace was one of the first meditation apps in the world and remains a leader in mindfulness and mental training. Headspace is committed to advancing the field of mindfulness through clinically-validated research, having one of the largest research pipelines of any digital health and wellness company. Headspace operates a B2B business (Headspace for Work) to offer its mindfulness products and services to more than 500 companies, such as Adobe, GE, and Unilever, to help them build healthier, more productive cultures and higher-performing organizations. Headspace partners with many of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Apple, Amazon, and more. Headspace also partners with brands like Nike, NBA, and the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team to offer sport and movement content. In 2018, Headspace launched Headspace Health, a digital health subsidiary pioneering new ways to incorporate the Headspace mindfulness experience into digital medicine. Headspace was selected for five Webby Awards in the health and fitness categories between 2018 and 2019. Headspace was also the winner of the Samsung Best of Galaxy Store Award 2019 for Best App To Relax With. For more information please visit us at www.headspace.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.