By Owen Rice
UMC, Inc., is a 100-year-old mechanical contractor specializing in HVAC, plumbing, piping and building automation systems. They provide design, construction, energy consulting and facility performance services to optimize building efficiency and sustainability across commercial, industrial and institutional projects. As the company grew, they needed a newer, higher-performing office environment that better reflected and enhanced their amazing culture. After meeting to discuss their ideas and needs with our team, we were eager to help them find a new space to call home.
Located in Lynwood, WA, UMC’s new office is the perfect central point between Seattle, Everett and Bellevue, making it an easy commute for their employees. The neighborhood features abundant dining, shopping and fitness options, ample free parking, and proximity to the light rail, creating a vibrant, accessible and amenity-rich environment for UMC’s teams and clients alike.
When you walk into the space, you’re instantly met with a vibrant, inviting splash of UMC orange, complemented with a natural wood accent wall and greenery. Naturally energetic, warm and creative, the orange and wood elements selected for the reception area set a clean, lively tone for the entire office.
The breakroom, dubbed the “Columbia Commons,” is named after the Columbia River, and comes complete with modern kitchen appliances, plenty of tables to congregate over lunch, gourmet coffee machines and other amenities to make their team feel right at home. The natural wood cabinets, clean backsplash and subtle gray patterned accent wall are paired with another bright splash of orange and calming greenery, tying it together with the rest of the space.
Wall-to-wall windows throughout the office provide an abundance of bright, natural light, while also showing off sweeping views of the Cascade Mountains. A strategically placed fiddle leaf fig or plant can be found in almost every room, happily bringing a little bit of the outside in.
The space perfectly fosters a high-performing environment that drives productivity. Throughout UMC’s office, you’ll find a combination of small and large conference rooms, as well as cubicles, private work rooms and a playful focus “booth” to encourage teamwork and collaboration, as well as heads-down work.
To break up the workday with a little fun, team members can engage in a friendly cornhole competition while walking down the hallway as yet another way to celebrate team bonding and UMC’s culture.
All in all, UMC’s office and culture are deeply interconnected. Their thoughtfully designed space fosters collaboration, creativity and pride, while their strong culture energizes the environment with purpose and personality. The result is a workplace that both reflects and reinforces who they are: welcoming, high-performing and people-focused. It also provides the flexibility to expand, attract and retain top talent and adapt to evolving business needs in the years to come.
More than just a backdrop, the space becomes a growth engine for the business and a living expression of the brand, shaping how teams connect and how clients experience the company. It’s easy to see why UMC’s office is one of the many Spaces We Love!
