Urban Outfitters HQ Renovated from Abandoned Navy Yards

You may know <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/" target="_blank">Urban Outfitters</a> as purveyors of some of the trendiest and hippest clothing out there - and now they've got the headquarters to match! In 2004, the company bought four buildings and leased a fifth in Philadelphia's abandoned Navy Yards for literally $1 and now, after a massive <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/green-renovation" target="_blank">renovation</a> lead by Minneapolis-based <a href="http://www.msrltd.com/" target="_blank">Meyer, Scherer &amp; Rockcastle</a>, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-link-an-innovative-approach-to-historical-preservation/" target="_blank">historic renovation</a> experts, the dilapidated old buildings have been magically transformed into inspiring, creative and light filled work spaces fit to house all of the Urban Outfitters brands on one campus. We aren't going to even pretend we're not jealous...

In the early 2000s, Urban Outfitters had 600 employees spread out over numerous buildings in downtown Philadelphia.

This dispersion of the employees was causing problems and the decision was made to consolidate to a single campus at the abandoned Navy Yards.

Urban Outfitters CEO, Richard Hayne wanted a space that reflected his company's designs and products as well as fit the needs of the employees for space and creativity.

While the renovation cost $100 million, the buildings only cost $1 to buy and much of the materials in the building were reused and reclaimed into the 330,000 sq ft newly renovated space.

The resulting look of the new campus is one that preserves the scars and reflects the history of the Navy and its construction and repair of naval vessels.

Paint was left on walls, metal was sandblasted and left to rust, reclaimed wood was used to make new staircases and windows were removed, re-glazed, and reinstalled.

Most of the offices and studios are open to the warehouse and light streams in from skylights and high windows on the multi-story warehouse buildings.

Pathways surrounding the campus are reminiscent of railway lines and old broken up concrete pieces were artfully repositioned into "Barney Rubble," a sculpture in one of the plazas.

Julie Bargmann’s D.I.R.T. studio, who is known for transforming derelict industrial sites into happening public spaces, designed the exterior landscaping around the buildings.

The new campus enjoys lawns, a dog park (employees are allowed to bring their dogs to work), a gym, places to eat, a yoga studio, and even a farmer's market.

One downside of the move and renovation is that more employees do drive now than they used to to get to the headquarters, but the space has improved performance, decreased employee sick days and encourages a healthier lifestyle.

A picture of the warehouse and naval yards before the renovation.

The project recently received an 2010 AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture.