McKinney, Tx

Unifying Spaces for a New Civic Era

In 2021, the municipal government of McKinney, TX was actively working to streamline communication between its departments by combining offices that had been spread across nine buildings into a singular, modern five-floor City Hall. This strategic redesign was conceived to enhance efficiency, foster closer collaboration, and create a more cohesive community space. In order to ensure that its newly designed complex would be able to meet both its own and its employees’ needs for years to come, McKinney sought to integrate best practices from other governmental organizations into an overall design that prioritized flexibility and shared spaces.

With the opportunity of this transition in mind, McKinney sought the expertise of PLASTARC to guide the programming and schematic design phases. Our years of experience conducting workplace research with other Texas-based organizations such as TCEQ, along with cutting-edge private sector companies, provided a versatile understanding of workplace design for comparable institutions. While interviews with McKinney leadership helped us to understand specific departmental needs, this background ensured that we could help McKinney integrate these diverse criteria into a streamlined facility.

Through detailed programming and test-fitting efforts conducted with Lake|Flato Architects and Parkhill, PLASTARC delivered tailored solutions that addressed the unique dimensions of the new City Hall. Rather than designing replicable neighborhoods to be used throughout the building, we mapped out custom-fitted floor plans according to each department’s needs. Three iterative programs were offered as potential solutions, presenting an array of possible space type distributions. By introducing concepts such as flex offices and communal areas that could be shared across departments, PLASTARC and Lake|Flato helped the client envision a workplace that would allow for diverse space types and facilitate collaboration across city departments. This gave way to a new design that was both more efficient for city employees and welcoming to the general public.

Upon receiving feedback, PLASTARC worked closely with the client and Lake|Flato to provide a final program and test-fit that could meet all of the city’s criteria while helping to propel the municipal government into the future of work. The new City Hall, which is integrating this program, represents a bold step forward in municipal workspace design. Our leveraging of insights and data during the design process proved essential as Lake|Flato finalized a design that fully reflected McKinney’s central principles of connectivity, efficiency, and community focus. This project sets a precedent for future municipal projects, demonstrating the value of thoughtful design and strategic consolidation in creating spaces that reflect the community's needs.

“PLASTARC’s rich research, comprehensive data reports, and initial test fit equipped both the Design team and the client with valuable resources for informed decision making. Through collaborative efforts, our teams successfully positioned the City of McKinney to align with the evolving trends in workplace design, all while ensuring resonance with the organization's unique work culture.”