Mobelux 2017: a year in review with an eye to the future
2017 was a quite a year for Mobelux. Though it marked our ninth year of operation, in many ways, it felt like our first.
Moving into our own place definitely made everything feel new again, but I think the root of that feeling is that each year we keep learning so much more about what we need to do to thrive in this industry. When you get down to it, that’s really our central goal: never stop improving on what we do.
Saunders Station is Our Home
2017 was our first full year working out of our new space, a historic 1937 renovated post office building in the heart of Richmond. It’s strange how quickly the building has become an real expression of who we are as a company.
When you walk through the building, it’s all about the details — the historically appropriate fonts, the modern touches, the old P.O. boxes, and original vault. If you look closely, you’ll even noticed repurposed metal mesh in interesting places around the building. The Julien Binford mural is our standout piece. It speaks to the rich, complex history of our city and reminds us of how much has, and hasn’t, changed since it was made.
Our building was featured in a few local articles, including one solely about the mural, and we were pleasantly surprised to pick up a good amount national coverage as well. Uncrate called it “lovingly renovated” and a reflection of a “workplace that pays respect to and yet builds upon what came before — just like any good product.”
Dwell picked Saunders Station as number five on their Top 10 Offices of 2017 and noted how we turned the building into a “contemporary office, while also embracing its charming architectural details and historic narrative.”
To finish off the year, we ended up being awarded the Golden Hammer for Best Adaptive Reuse — Large. They noted “this is the modern, technology-infused workplace of the future!”
We kicked off three reoccurring groups with Women Who Code, React JS, and a Photographer’s Storytelling Night. Michael Graves Design and Rob Van Varick also came in to host a town hall style event where they talked about “Designing the Future of Intuition.” We all left inspired and can’t wait to host more events in the future.
We couldn’t be more proud of how the building turned out. For us, Saunders Station is about more than just a nice building. It’s about connecting to the community that supports us and giving our employees a place they actually want to spend their time.
Supporting Our Partners
In 2017, we found ourselves traveling and supporting partners in places we never dreamed we’d be. We joined World Pediatric Project on a trip to St. Vincent, documenting the incredible work they’re doing to change the lives of sick children in need. It’s impossible not to be proud and honored to work with people who affect real change in the world and are so passionate about the work they do.
Another memorable moment was when we went to our nation’s capital to interview and photograph members of Congress with Montpelier’s Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution.
Our business is in building meaningful experiences, and it’s moments like these that help us remember what that truly means.
Strengthening our Partnerships
Twenty-four new partners joined our client list in 2017. Without them, we simply wouldn’t be here, and we’re grateful for the trust they’ve put in us. In 2018, we hope to continue to stand by their side and help them thrive, building longterm partnerships that benefit us both.
The products we built spanned across industries, form home, fashion, and food to insurance, medicine, and art. Everything we did centered on building meaningful experiences, and we’ve grown with each project.
Look for some more in depth features over the next few months highlighting the work we’ve done for our partners.
New Employees
Mobelux employees make us what we are. I’m so lucky to work with such talented and driven individuals, and I’m grateful to all of them for the work they do here. In 2017, we were thrilled to welcome Jim, Will, Kathleen, Ellen, and Terrill to the team. They’ve already made a great impact on our company, and it’s a privilege to have them working with us.
Webby Award
Our work with The Infatuation earned us a 2017 Webby Award in the best Mobile Site & App in the Food & Drink category. In our world, winning a Webby feels a bit like winning an Oscar, and it speaks to the quality of work coming out of Mobelux. There’s nothing better than seeing our partners succeed, and knowing we were a part of that is pretty incredible.
Here’s to a great 2017 and an even better 2018 — after all, we turn 10 this next year!
