MulvannyG2 Architecture opens new Seattle headquarters

With office opening, MulvannyG2 unveils updated brand identity and new firm name, MG2

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May 19, 2015, 10:57 ET

SEATTLE, May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- MG2, formerly MulvannyG2 Architecture, announced today the opening of its new Seattle headquarters located in the 1101 Second building. The company also announced a new, more concise name — MG2 — and an overall brand refresh that presents a clearer representation of the firm's work around the world with leading retailers, commercial developers and client partner of more than 30 years, Costco Wholesale.

MG2's Seattle office features a unique street-facing exhibit space

"Bellevue has been home to our headquarters office for many years, and we look forward to continuing our work with clients, partners and community members in the Eastside area," said CEO Mitch Smith, AIA. "Continuing to drive connectivity with our clients and the community is the central vision for our new workspace. With the Seattle office, we found a unique opportunity to support business efficiencies while bringing the next evolution of our brand to life and creating a space that enables people to do their best work."

MG2 revitalized approximately 64,000 square feet on three floors of the four-story 1101 Second building, designed by Pacific Northwest modernist architect Paul Thiry and built in 1967. As one of the top retail design firms in the world, MG2 brought together a diverse team of its retail design, office design and brand strategy experts to develop the office space.

"Increasingly, we see the importance of bringing the retail sensibility into different environments, from the workplace to hospitality to healthcare. It's essential to consider the customer journey and branding in the same way a retailer makes decisions to remain relevant to consumers," said MJ Munsell, principal and retail market design leader. "In designing the office space, we incorporated the retail mindset and created an ecosystem of interconnected places that give people choice and control over where and how they work."

The design of the MG2 space takes advantage of the building's midcentury aesthetic and expansive floor plates to create an open, flexible environment that supports different work styles while creating new opportunities for collaboration. The variety of workspaces available includes individual workstations, open and enclosed meeting areas of all sizes as well as "quiet rooms" for individual work or small group meetings.

MG2's office renovation also reflects a commitment to sustainability, targeting LEED Gold certification and incorporating a variety of reclaimed, renewable and locally sourced materials and energy-efficient fixtures.

The 1101 Second building is owned by Rockwood Capital and managed by Urban Renaissance Group. Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, served as the contractor for MG2's workspace construction and Colliers International was the company's real estate services firm.

"We're thrilled that MG2 has made the 1101 Second building its new world headquarters and we're excited to welcome their team to downtown Seattle," said Urban Renaissance Group founder and CEO Patrick Callahan. "We couldn't have asked for a more creative, dedicated team to breathe new life into this iconic building."

About MG2
MG2 (formerly MulvannyG2 Architecture) partners with businesses around the world to create impactful transformation through architectural services, planning, interior design, brand strategy and consulting services. MG2 is consistently ranked among the largest architecture firms in the nation and among the top retail design firms in the world. MG2 serves clients around the globe from four offices: Seattle, Wash.; Irvine, Calif.; Washington, DC and Shanghai. For more information, visit http://mg2.com/.

About Urban Renaissance Group
Urban Renaissance Group LLC is a Seattle based full-service commercial real estate company and operating partner engaged in acquisitions, development, asset management, property management and ownership in Seattle, Bellevue, Denver and Portland. The strategic premise of the Urban Renaissance Group is that the form of the American city and its villages will change during the next 20 years. Urban Renaissance Group acts as a catalyst that understands and ignites that change, thereby generating economic prosperity for the community, superior returns for its investors, as well as opportunities for its employees.

About Rockwood Capital
Rockwood Capital, LLC is a real estate investment management firm founded in 1995 that provides equity capital combined with real estate operating expertise for repositioning, recapitalization, development and redevelopment of retail, hotel, residential, office and research and development space in key markets throughout the United States. Rockwood is an 84-person firm with offices in New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, and Seoul, Korea that manages a portfolio of approximately $3.3 billion of net equity value in approximately $8.6 billion of gross real estate value.

About Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company
Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, is a general contractor delivering the best of both worlds to our Northwest clients with a 130-year local history supported with the national footprint and scale of Balfour Beatty Construction. Howard S. Wright operates in the Pacific Northwest with offices in Seattle and Portland providing general contracting, at-risk construction management, and design-build services for a wide variety of markets, serving clients in both the public and private sector.

About Colliers International
Colliers International is headquartered in Seattle and is a global leader in commercial real estate services, with more than 16,300 professionals operating out of 502 offices in 67 countries. A subsidiary of FirstService Corporation, Colliers International delivers a full range of services to real estate occupiers, owners and investors worldwide, including global corporate solutions, brokerage, property and asset management, hotel investment sales and consulting, valuation, consulting and appraisal services, mortgage banking and insightful research. Colliers International has been recognized and ranked by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals' Global Outsourcing 100 for 10 consecutive years, more than any other real estate services firm.

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