PRE-DESIGN RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The design for the Walmart.com Offices was derived from a research methodology developed by Estudio Guto Requena. Interviews and dynamic online exchanges with company employees were conducted to assess values , needs and expectations. Three principal focal points emerged from this process: digital culture, the Walmart.com brand and brasilidade (Brazilian identity). This research also informed the choice of colors, materials, forms, programing and design concepts. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK We applied these three focal points and their commonalities to an exploration of the building’s prominent terrace and developed from this a guiding concept for the company's headquarters: the Urban Veranda. Design choices reference the Brazilian habit of engaging outdoor areas for social interaction and relaxation. Elements include beach chairs, the many large buildings with terraced facades, picnics (visible in the carpet patterning), the patios and balconies of Brazilian homes, and the rural habit of placing a chair in the street to enjoy the evening and chat with neighbors.
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