When HarbourVest Partners decided to relocate their Boston headquarters, the firm approached the move as an inflection point. As a global investment firm and early adopter of hybrid work, HarbourVest sought a workspace that could evolve alongside its people and its business. NELSON partnered with HarbourVest from the earliest stages, leading workplace strategy, visioning, and building search before carrying the project through interior design, furniture services, construction administration, and lighting design across 250,000 square feet and 11 floors.
Rather than defaulting to established workplace conventions, NELSON worked closely with HarbourVest to understand the firm’s culture, workflows, and aspirations. Executive leadership endorsed a departure from traditional hierarchy in favor of uniformly sized private offices placed on the interior of the floorplate. That single decision reshaped the entire workplace, opening daylight, views, and perimeter access to every employee equitably.
HarbourVest describes itself as an experienced partner that guides clients through the investment process, drawing on parallels to preparing for and navigating on the water. That narrative became the foundation for the design language throughout the space. The workplace experience unfolds as a series of intuitive, fluid moments that foster confidence and clarity, expressed through an architectural vocabulary of soft corners, a refined, light material palette, matte metals, and subtle color accents.
The top two floors are dedicated entirely to client and employee experience, taking advantage of outdoor access and the building’s best views. A Great Work Café and all-day employee club anchor daily life, while a staircase linking all workplace floors encourages movement and reinforces a more connected culture. Throughout the office, employees have meaningful choice in how and where they work, from enclosed focus rooms to open social touchdown settings.
The result is a headquarters that reflects HarbourVest’s identity and positions the firm for the future. The Boston office now serves as the flagship and global standard for HarbourVest workplaces worldwide. By listening closely, planning with precision, and designing for how this firm realistically functions, NELSON delivered a brand-defining environment that supports HarbourVest’s current operating model while remaining flexible enough to evolve alongside it.
