The Tennyson

A renovation and rebranding strategy brings new life to a Texas office building.

In Plano, Texas, the new owners of The Tennyson — a four-story office building that formerly served as the corporate headquarters for telecom giant Ericsson — worked with LPA designers and landscape architects to redevelop the ground floor and to find new value in the outdoor spaces, which have become popular for gatherings and events. An underutilized patio area was repurposed into a functioning pavilion space with a customized shipping container, outdoor kitchen, bar area and shade structure for entertaining. Shaded spaces, firepits and heaters make the outdoors an option year-round, even in the Texas climate.

Inside The Tennyson, a speakeasy was rebranded, as well as a coffee shop, a fitness center with available aerobics room that connects to the outdoor spaces, and areas for wellness pop-ups. The amenities were carefully designed to provide the most “bang for the buck,” creating new options that fit the needs of the market.