Young Living Essential Oils Global Headquarters
Lehi, Utah
Best Project

Owner: Young Living Essential Oils
Lead Design Firm: Scholz Architects
General Contractor: Okland Construction Inc.
Civil Engineer: CIR Civil Engineering
Structural Engineer: Dunn Associates Inc.
MEP Engineer: Van Boerum & Frank Associates
Electrical Engineer: BNA Consulting
Interior Design/Architect: Diamond Phillips
Landscape Architect: ArcSitio Design Inc.
Subcontractors: Archer Mechanical; Unlimited Steel; Wasatch Electric

The frame of this headquarters is laid out with two radial grid systems, which leaves the building with only four straight lines. The 263,000-sq-ft, five-story office features a gym, museum and retail store, along with a purifying water plant, a laboratory and a full-service kitchen for its nearly 1,000 employees and many visitors.

The building highlights LEED principles focused on harvesting daylight. Offices are situated around the center of the grid, while general workstations are placed in the outer areas, closest to the windows. A five-story center court features a three-story waterfall, five water features, green walls, mega-screens and a 100-ft skylight.

Construction began before design was finalized so the project could meet its aggressive schedule. The building’s organic shape required precise collaboration among the architect, structural engineer, contractor and steel fabricator. Various radial systems align the structural steel, and the contractor self-performed all concrete work, locating and placing all forms and structural connections using GPS technology.

The center court was originally classified as an atrium. However, with specific requirements for smoke evacuation, the clear area that was required for air intake would have made the space unusable. Instead, the team used a two-hour fire separation and augmented fire-suppression system, an approved smoke-removal system and additional emergency exits. This made the central court more of  a building within a building.

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