Behind the scenes at 1st Phorm
Overview of the project and space.
1st Phorm is a premium manufacturer and nationwide distributor of high quality nutrition supplements and athletic apparel. Due to continued growth, their team was looking for a new home that would reflect their vibrant culture and provide room for expansion as their team grew.
In partnership with Kadean Construction, Cocre8, CBRE, and more, they chose to construct a new 185,000 square foot state-of-the-art office in Fenton Logistics Park, located in Fenton, MO. This new facility would combine several warehouses in the St. Louis area with an auditorium, training rooms, 16,000 square foot athletic training facility, barber shop, game room, full-service kitchen, and more to offer employees the ultimate workplace experience.
What was the design vision for the space and why?
1st Phorm was founded in 2009 by Andy and Sal Frisella, two brothers based out of St. Louis, Missouri. They began crafting supplements and athletic gear with a vision of changing peoples lives through education and hard work.
Their company is built on the foundational values of leadership, loyalty, humility, discipline, taking initiative, enthusiasm, selflessness, and relationship building. These values, along with exceptional product and business strategy, led to growth and success.
So, when they decided to expand, Sal describes their vision saying:
To do this, they intentionally crafted their layout to best support their workflow and included many thoughtful spaces to support their company goals. Today, they have many fully integrated Zoom rooms, a private library, a podcasting studio, beautiful private offices, and ample fitness space to encourage wellness.
What problems were they trying to solve with the updated space?
1st Phorm was rapidly growing. They needed a large, well thought out space that would attract the talent they needed to support their growth and encourage their current staff. They also wanted a clear reflection of their brand represented embedded in design so that their vibrant culture would permeate both the vision and feel of the company.
They also needed to build the office building extremely quickly to support their rapid growth. The team was extremely proud to complete the project within one year from shovel in the ground to move in. The team integration and clarity of vision enabled this quick turnaround and ultimate success of the project.
How did the team reflect the mission and vision of the company through design?
1st Phorm has an extremely upbeat, positive culture that encourages transformation. The 1st Phorm team wanted to reflect this culture in every aspect of the building. Today, you can see this through the artwork and quotes on the walls, the vibrant brand colors used throughout, and the intentional design touchpoints.
Find details like intricate stitching on the backs of chairs, dynamic graphics, and luxury add-ins like a barber shop that make employees feel immense pride for their space and the company as a whole.
Today, Sal Frisella responded to the completed space saying:
