From little acorns grow mighty oaks – the CPL Woodstock team can attest to that.
To strategically expand the firm’s presence throughout northern Georgia and beyond, CPL Woodstock emerged in 2010 with Principal K. Scott Gordon, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP at the helm, looking to assemble a robust group of architects, engineers and interior designers to tackle diverse new projects.
The office started in a modest building on Main Street with Gordon as its first official team member, but as the team grew, so did the need for a larger, more adaptable space. Once a location was chosen, CPL’s agile designers took to their yellow sketch paper and utilized virtual reality (VR) software to envision the perfect work environment.
“We were invigorated by the opportunity to create our own workspace,” Gordon said, adding, “We designed the office from the ground up to meet our needs, just as we do for our clients.”
Today, CPL Woodstock is a nucleus for talented A/E/P professionals throughout the Metro Atlanta area. Located 20 minutes north of Truist Park—home of the Atlanta Braves—and just 2.5 miles from Main Street, team members relish the office’s proximity to all the lively entertainment and dining options the city has to offer, including the Woodstock amphitheater, one of CPL’s most celebrated community projects in the region.
Described as the perfect collaboration between its creative personalities, the office is a welcoming space that fosters fellowship between team members who feel more like family than co-workers. Visitors are greeted at a lively reception desk before stepping through the “corkscrew lounge,” an intimate seating area enveloped by a thick, curved wall that bisects the office and creates a portal to the open-concept design studio.
Pop culture homages, professionally-designed puppets (souvenirs from the team’s work on the Center for Puppetry Arts), and references to architectural masters are scattered throughout the central workspace, inspiring outside-the-box design and contributing to the office’s light-hearted atmosphere.
Beyond the studio, sliding doors separate an expansive conference room—itself envisioned as a tribute to the famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted – from a contemporary industrial kitchen, which includes a barista bar, an encouraging “word wall” and modern appliances, serving as the heart of the office.
Other distinctive features include hand-made desks composed of walnut and hickory wood, a ping-pong table, aviator and Barcelona chairs, a cross-office sound system, a 14-foot-long putting green and a decorative “modular man” silhouette influenced by the famed French architect Le Corbusier.
“We’re a few miles from Atlanta’s art and cultural centers, but that atmosphere is what you’ll find here. We like to have fun,” Gordon said. “Our unique environment promotes enduring friendships between team members, and consequently, more impactful design.”
The space also includes a Creative Labs suite where teams and clients alike can participate in virtual walkthroughs prior to building renovation or construction. Equipped with 3D printers, laser scanners, 360 cameras and VR headsets, the suite elevates CPL’s design methodologies and facilitates optimal project outcomes.
“Our creative lab marries emerging technologies with architecture to better influence the design process,” said CPL Architect, Danny Jones, AIA, NCARB, LEED BD+C. “The VR suite enables us to develop progressive plans that bring our clients’ visions to life in the most authentic way possible.”
Appreciating the positive domino effect that forward-thinking, interactive design can have on a community, the CPL Woodstock team works in tandem with public leaders, government officials and other high-profile entities to deliver personalized solutions that drive meaningful change within their neighborhoods.
They also frequently join forces with our nearby offices in Suwanee, GA, Greensboro, NC, and Charlotte, NC, to tackle assignments spanning several diverse practice areas, including K-12, higher education, transportation and healthcare — so team members glean experience from every angle of the industry.
“We consider ourselves truly privileged to co-create with our peers and dedicated clients,” said CPL Principal Associate, Tim Pulver, AIA, ID, NCARB, LEED AP. “There’s no limit to what we can accomplish working as a unified team.”
