New Headquarters for a Leading Tech Company That Values Love and Relationships
Image © Thomas McConnell.
Match.com is in the business of connections. As one of the brands within the parent company called Match Group, Match.com is part of a suite of web services, including OkCupid, Tinder, and PlentyOfFish, that interacts with 49 million single Americans every month and is active in 25 countries. Recently, Match.com paired with IA Interior Architects to transform its relocated headquarters in Dallas, TX.
The new headquarters creates a framework that can modify and be personalized to accommodate the needs of different groups. Located near NorthPark Center and the Shops at Park Lane, employees have increased access to retail and dining conveniently located across the street. In addition, the office is designed with a thoughtfully implicit brand identity—a focus determined during IA-led planning and strategy sessions. Spanning three floors, the headquarters hosts traditional desking stations, conference rooms, and offices on the top and bottom levels. Referred to as the Grand Lounge, the main floor of the workspace serves as an informal conference center, break room, game room, party space, and all-hands meeting space.
Photo by Thomas McConnell.
Image © Thomas McConnell.
Image © Thomas McConnell.
It was clear from the beginning of our work with Match that they are believers in the importance of love and relationships,” said David Holt, the project's Design Director. “Our job was both to remind the employees about how important their work is to the people making connections on their platforms, but also to provide them places to connect with their teammates.”
In total, the new headquarters provides 20 percent more square footage than the company’s previous headquarters. Since moving from San Francisco to Dallas in 1999, the company has continued to grow both internally and externally. Meeting diverse needs is not only important for Match.com users, but is equally important for employees. In fact, at the new headquarters IA facilitated a migration from a hierarchical layout to a workplace where multi-purpose areas offer alternate work space and collaboration centers, modular desk systems can be easily reconfigured, and additional desk space anticipates future growth.
Image © Thomas McConnell.
Image © Thomas McConnell.
Match.com Headquarters in Dallas, TX. Photo by Thomas McConnell.
To bolster Match.com’s focus on relationships, IA infused experiential graphics and interactive elements throughout the space. Once guests step off the elevator, they’re greeted with Match.com success stories in the form of framed wedding announcements. Additionally, IA created whiteboards where love-song lyrics meet brainstorming sessions and a wall-size map that displays continuously updated Match statistics from around the world.
“It reminds us every day why we’re here,” said Mandy Ginsberg, CEO of Match Group, in a statement for D Magazine. “These numbers are people. If the site goes down, they can’t communicate. For us, all we care about is love and connections.”
IA is a global firm of architects, designers, strategists, and specialists. We focus exclusively on environments through the lens of interior architecture—a radical idea in 1984, when IA was founded. We are highly connected agents of change, committed to creativity, innovation, growth, and community.
IA is a global firm of architects, designers, strategists, and specialists. We focus exclusively on environments through the lens of interior architecture—a radical idea in 1984, when IA was founded. We are highly connected agents of change, committed to creativity, innovation, growth, and community.