Adobe Creative Campuses

Whether in the built environment or in the digital realm, groundbreaking design comes from challenging assumptions and pushing beyond conventional boundaries. When digital media and marketing software company Adobe decided to expand its physical presence, it sought architecture that would embody its brand’s reputation for creativity. Holmes has had the pleasure of collaborating with Adobe on two campuses, realizing cost-effective commercial office solutions with a placemaking edge in both communities. We have provided both structural and fire engineering to reach new frontiers of expression with this pioneering brand.

Adobe Founders Tower – San Jose, CA

Adobe expanded its global headquarters in Silicon Valley with Adobe Founders Tower: a high-rise housing over 4,000 employees. Holmes provided fire and life safety engineering, working with the design team to develop alternative solutions and code variances per the architectural intent and project goals. Holmes implemented a performance-based approach for atrium assembly space and high-rise smoke control design, allowing the structure to stretch higher more efficiently.

The campus consists of a sleek 18-story office tower, a placemarker pedestrian bridge connecting employees between buildings, and associated parking. The office tower largely consists of an adaptable open workspace, with additional assembly space provided within. The headquarters also incorporates areas to host and entertain clients, an all-hands gathering space, dining amenities, roof decks, and a wellness center. Parking is provided at two underground levels as well as on six above-grade levels.

Adobe Corporate Campus – Lehi, UT

For its new Lehi campus, Adobe set an unconventional course from the beginning. The client selected a scenic 13-acre Utah Valley site with views of the Wasatch Mountains as the location. The site’s natural surroundings and easy access made it ideal—and the long, narrow site was divided in half by a four-lane road. Despite this challenge, Adobe’s goal of creating an iconic building to serve as a recruiting tool, provide inspiration for employees, and foster collaboration remained constant.

The project team selected Holmes as the structural engineer before the search for the campus’ location began. This allowed Adobe, Holmes, designers and contractors to quickly form a true design team. The master planning phase began while Adobe was still in the process of procuring the site.

The first challenge the team tackled was how to cross the 120-foot roadway without making the workplace feel like two separate campuses. Early design options used pedestrian connections, bridges and tunnels to link the two sides of the site. While working together to sketch out these options, the design team refocused on Adobe’s main objective—creating an inspirational, iconic structure. This led the team past the more predictable solutions to something far beyond the ordinary. The office building itself would span the roadway to join the north and south halves of the site.

Holmes used a moment-frame system to cantilever over the reinforced concrete base and add visual interest alongside the varied surrounding topography. The four-story structure is narrow with a steel and glass façade to take full advantage of the views.

The new Adobe Lehi campus shows that exemplary design doesn’t have to be more expensive if the approach is thoughtful. Working together from master planning to completion with a shared vision, the team finished the building in 27 months.