Ancestry / Rapt Studio

Architects: Rapt Studio
Area: 132 ft²
Year: 2016
Photographs:Jeremy Bitterman
Manufacturers: Decoustics, Cooledge Lighting, Arpa Fenix , Artemide, Bend Goods, Benjamin Moore, Caesarstone, Daltile, EQ3, Escenium HAUS, Finelite, Gotham Lighting, Intense Lighting, Junckers, Koroseal, Milliken, Naughtone, Northwood Design Partners, OCL, Old Wood, +4Roppe, Statements Tile, Stone Source, Tacchini-4

Curated by ArchDaily

Ancestry / Rapt Studio - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade — © Jeremy Bitterman

Text description provided by the architects. Every single one of us is a living, breathing collection of data. Ancestry can take that data — any kind of data, really — and translate it into stories of human connection. The story of Ancestry itself is a tale of family, genealogy, migration, and attention to detail. To create the company’s ideal space, Rapt Studio brought all those components together, turning abstract ideas into something you can touch, see, and feel.

That meant making sure the space felt like home for both the young, agile tech side of things and Ancestry’s longtime employees — self-described “crusty book nerds” who’ve been there for nearly four decades. Throughout the building, you can find portraits of senior employees paired with archival photographs of their relatives found through the website. It shows firsthand how historical imagery gets personal in context.

At the entry point to the building, there’s a multicolored, multidimensional graphic installation in the lobby. The different colors represent different ancestries of various populations, like you might see in a map showing migrations over time. Because the colors are repeated, it suggests a kind of shared global heritage. It’s one of many examples of the link between family and global genealogy, including break areas and family rooms that serve as central, collaborative spaces on each floor. These are supplemented by a variety of dens, living rooms, and kitchen tables arranged to help teams work and relax side-by- side. The cafe is a nod to “Sunday dinner at Grandma’s house,” and includes a long,communal table beside a pizza oven, surrounded by decorative plates from around the world. It reminds us of the shared ways we all break bread together.

Ancestry goes beyond connecting you to a long-lost relative. It can also show you how we all go back to just a few big populations, a few big families. Now it has a headquarters built on that brand principle and identity.