Cisco Atlanta Office: What the New Space Means for Collaboration, Hybrid Work

Last week the new Cisco Atlanta office, a greenfield project, opened its doors to CEOs, academics and government officials who came to observe how hyper connectivity, cutting-edge design and green tech come together. Dubbed the Cisco Atlanta Collaboration Center, the 62,000 square-foot space has 87 hot desks, 115 collaboration-enabled spaces, and, true to hybrid form, zero personal offices. Additionally, it showcases the latest innovation to come out of Cisco that reinvents the office experience.

CRTKL is the architectural design firm that led the project in partnership with Cisco. The building is LEED-certified Platinum. Cisco will take up floors 18, 20 and 21. The company will dedicate the 20th floor to customer success.

Cisco expects to hire 700 employees in the next five years who will (assuming hybrid work schedules) travel in and out of this office. Cisco will also utilize resources in the Atlanta area, partnering closely with institutions such as Georgia Tech and HBCUs. One goal is to help local students gain important digital skills.

Cisco’s Andrew Cole

“We believe offices are centers for collaboration, offering leaders and individuals choice in the setting for their interactions, and fostering connection and innovation,” said Cisco spokesperson Andrew Cole. “For us, we want to create work environments that support maximum flexibility, productivity and well-being, letting teams decide what works best for their own collaboration.”

Cisco Atlanta Office Not the First Collaboration Center

Cisco has previously rolled out two other collaboration centers in the United States. One exists at the company’s headquarters in San Jose, California. The other, called Cisco Penn 1, is in New York City.

NWN Carousel’s Andrew Gilman

For Andrew Gilman, CMO at NWN Carousel, a longtime Cisco partner, Penn 1 brings together technological capabilities for his customers all in one place.

“It’s important to see how integrated cloud communication technology can provide a better experience overall,” Gilman said, who has visited Penn 1 on several occasions.

He added that in this economic environment, CIOs are trying to do more with less. These collaboration centers show executives how to invest in technologies while conserving resources, he said.

NWN Carousel has even replicated the Cisco model with its own customer innovation and experience center.

To view images and more information about the Cisco Atlanta office, see the slideshow above.