CustomInk
Workplaces of the Future
Published
CustomInk
Address: 2910 District Ave., Fairfax
Business: Online custom design T-shirts
New construction: 75,000 square feet
On-site employees: 512
Interior designer: Davis Carter Scott (DCS)
Design goals/amenities: This fast-growing company wanted a corporate headquarters office that created a sense of community.
From the octopus logo on the building’s exterior to a lobby festooned with 1,000 colorful origami cranes (a symbol of good luck) made by employees, there’s an “inker” stamp on everything. Employees are referred to as “inkers,” and gallery areas showcase their creative talent.
The three-story building is open and collaborative with winding staircases, lots of natural light, and colorful nooks for private meetings. To encourage employee engagement, there’s a communal table in the cafeteria, a foosball table in the game room and an outdoor patio with space for corn hole tournaments.
Other perks include bars for coffee, trail mix and yogurt. To bring the outdoors in, the company recently added a living green wall and it uses barn doors on some of the offices.
CustomInk is the anchor tenant at Mosaic, a mixed-use project that’s striving for a live-work-play community. “That attracted us. It’s a really cool environment,” says Darcy Smith, vice president of team development.
Overall, she describes the space as “uplifting, fun, friendly,” a fitting environment for a 29-year-old, the average age of employees.CustomInk
