For more than 12 years, Genzyme has relied on Red Thread for furnishings, audio visual technology, architectural products and more for its facilities, including its acclaimed, LEED-certified Corporate Center headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. When it came time for the high-profile biotech company to expand its Framingham, Mass., campus with a new Science Center building, Red Thread was ready with a complete range of furnishings and expert services that enabled Genzyme to meet its goal of bringing the sophisticated look and feel of its headquarters to the new space.

Home to 300 professionals, the mixed-use facility combines general office work space with lab space and “tech stations” for scientists working outside the lab. Red Thread furnished the entire facility with a variety of products—including selections from Steelcase’s Answer and Universal lines—that cost-effectively met the state-of-the-art design and green building principles central to the success of the corporate headquarters. Once the furniture was chosen, Red Thread’s design team transformed plans from Genzyme’s external design firm into installation drawings and specifications.

As the first new building modeled on the corporate headquarters, the Science Center sets key standards for future facilities and renovation initiatives. As in previous projects, Red Thread collaborated closely with the Genzyme team, including the CEO, to ensure all furniture selections not only addressed functional needs but also aligned with its commitment to green building and corporate aesthetics.

In addition to furniture, Red Thread also provided all audio visual technology throughout the facility, ranging from standard projector and screen implementations in meeting rooms to sophisticated solutions that facilitate essential connections between the Science Center and corporate headquarters. For example, to support collaboration between scientists, Red Thread installed a videoconferencing room that provides two-way communication between the Cambridge and Framingham sites while simultaneously distributing a one-way broadcast to an overflow room. This allows scientists in the Science Center to view live events taking place off-site, such as lectures from visiting scientists, executive presentations, or the unveiling of new discoveries to other Genzyme associates.

In addition, Red Thread is helping Genzyme ensure audio visual system uptime, which is important because the company relies on technology to communicate between sites to bring products to market more quickly. Through a remote monitoring system from Red Thread, Genzyme’s audio visual team in Cambridge can troubleshoot and control all audio visual systems in Framingham. This innovative solution allows Cambridge team members to turn systems on and off remotely, check lamp life or even connect a video call, maximizing uptime and optimizing staffing.