A renovated space in a 1950’s-era bus station will transport a venture capital company that backs innovative technology start-ups, including life sciences companies engaged in Covid-19 research, into the future.

Located in New Haven, this 9,000-square-foot headquarters for Connecticut Innovations encompasses offices, meeting rooms, collaborative areas and open work areas. Exposed structure, HVAC, brickwork, metal panel ornamentation, and concrete floor staining are contextual with original architecture and provide an edgy industrial aesthetic.
An ever-changing monitor, mounted on a floor-to-ceiling engraved feature wall at the main entrance, allows Connecticut Innovations to showcase its own brand and promote tech partners. Interior furnishings complement Connecticut Innovations’ brand colors of blue and orange. Countertops and table surfaces are light, bright and easy to clean.
Designers maximized existing features, which included high ceilings, skylights in their original positions, and a long south glazed wall, bathing the interior in light. Use of glass throughout the headquarters and along a central corridor, or “main street,” defines program spaces and allows glimpses of activity. A particular highlight is a large conference room adjacent to the cafĂ©-lounge. The boardroom’s large sliding glass wall opens to unite the spaces to allow for larger meetings or events.
While the project was designed pre-Covid-19, small offices along the perimeter of the interior maintain an open environment, while allowing private work spaces. Creation of glass and roofed “boxes” within the larger envelope also contribute to the open, light-filled environment, giving employees additional collaborative and huddle spaces that allow for distancing and easy cleaning. 
One challenge of repurposing an old bus station included figuring ways to incorporate electrical conduits and drains, since the ground slab, which had been encapsulated because of environmental concerns, could not be penetrated. Connecticut Innovations’ headquarters is one of several enterprises in the sprawling 105,000-square-foot building.

The company has a smaller office in the historic Colt Building in Hartford, also renovated by Amenta Emma.
Check out this walk through video of the Connecticut Innovations office in New Haven!
Awards & Recognitions
Congratulations to Amenta Emma team member, Kyle Cruz, AIA, on completing the Living Future Accreditation program. The achievement of Living Future Accreditation (LFA) acknowledges a person’s work towards making communities socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. Through this multi-course program, accredited professionals gain a holistic knowledge of sustainable and regenerative design.
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