Interior courtyard and outdoor planted areas are located along the street and the perimeter of the building to accommodate impromptu meetings and to provide a relaxing area for work breaks. The entire building is brightly daylit, with roof monitors, skylights and sloped glazing. Photo sensors control artificial light so as not to duplicate natural daylight, substantially reducing energy consumption.
Parking is organized along an access road, limiting paved surfaces to heavily trafficked areas.
Cars and trucks are shielded from the view of nearby residents by large earthworks and a newly planted forest. The building, although quite large, is difficult to see in its totality due to its shape and profile. In a friendly conversation with William McDonough, the CEO of Herman Miller expressed his interest in incorporating sustainable practices into his company's manufacturing and selling practices. This building would serve the dual purposes of explicitly introducing environmental principles into the manufacturing process, while showcasing the reality of creating a facility that respects and responds to natural material and energy flows. Because Herman Miller already had an established facilities management team in place, McDonough suggested holding a three-day design charette at the new building site.