Samsung America Headquarters (DS)

Case Study Description:

The campus comprises a 10-story tower, an amenity pavilion and parking garage. The design encourages interaction among staff and invites the community on campus. The tower houses 2,000 Samsung employees. A courtyard connects the entire building, creating a central gathering place. The headquarters is also a highly energy-efficient building. The tower’s façade is designed to reduce solar heat gain, which reduces energy costs related to cooling a building; clear glass allows natural light deep into the floorplate; and trees and water features provide connections to the environment.

Through the utilization of a custom Grasshopper plugin that analyzes circulation, an expressive simulation was performed to study spontaneous interactions between employees that can increase innovation within a company. The tool allowed decisions makers to study how people working at Samsung would occupy the space, how much potential for visual connection there was throughout the day, and how many calories each individual might burn

By designing a space that fosters these interactions the designers can improve the potential for innovation of their client. Spontaneous interactions are most likely to occur when employees cross each other's paths or can easily see each other.

The tool makes assumptions about how employees will use the space and simulates a full day for each employee, specifically looking at unobstructed sightlines – blue are on the same floor, red are on different floors. By comparing the results of multiple studies, decision makers can quickly understand the impact of building form on employee innovation.

Key Facts

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Business Impact

Client Name

NBBJ

Location

Completion Year

2016

Project Type

Tools Used in the Case Study

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Grasshopper

Grasshopper 3D is the visual programming environment included with Rhino for computational and parametric design. Architects, engineers, façade specialists, and fabricators connect components on a canvas to generate geometry, process data, and test design variables without building every option manually. It works directly with Rhino’s modeling environment and can extend into BIM, analysis, optimization, and fabrication workflows through official integrations, scripting, and plugins.

Rhino 3D

Rhino 3D is a professional 3D modeling software used by architects, designers, engineers, and digital fabrication specialists to create accurate freeform geometry and complex parametric designs. Powered by precise NURBS modeling and an extensive plugin ecosystem, Rhino supports everything from conceptual design and architectural modeling to product development and computational design. Whether you’re comparing Rhino 3D pricing, exploring its features, evaluating the free trial, or looking for the best Rhino 3D alternatives, this guide explains everything you need to know to determine whether Rhino 3D software is the right choice for your workflow.

Revit

Autodesk Revit is a Building Information Modeling (BIM) software platform used by architects, engineers, contractors, and AEC teams to design, document, coordinate, and deliver building projects. Unlike traditional CAD software, Revit connects 3D building elements with plans, sections, elevations, schedules, quantities, and project data in one coordinated model. Its key features include parametric modeling, multidisciplinary collaboration, construction documentation, worksharing, visualization, and model-based scheduling. Explore Revit pricing, free trial options, major features, use cases, pros and cons, system compatibility, and the best Revit alternatives to determine whether it is the right BIM software for your workflow.