Layton Construction has delivered a purpose-built, 78,000-square-foot headquarters for Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. The new facility consolidates two previous Scottsdale locations into a single hub designed to reflect the company's culture through specialized spaces including a professional recording studio, private practice rooms, and an R&D model shop.
Project scope and facility features
Located within Phoenix's Paradise Valley redevelopment, the project required managing significant site constraints and meeting strict acoustic requirements for equipment testing.
Technical solutions for noise mitigation
A primary technical challenge involved the creation of the kaboom room, an amplifier testing room designed to handle extreme noise and vibration. To prevent impact on adjacent office spaces, Layton Construction implemented a building-within-a-building strategy.
Project manager Malyn Dickson stated that the slab was poured independently from the rest of the structure and utilized double CMU block walls with mortar-blocking material to break connections. The ceiling was also isolated to ensure that vibration from amplifier failure testing could not be felt on floors above.
Managing construction constraints and collaboration
Construction required precise execution due to maximized building footprints and existing utility setbacks. Dickson noted that early collaboration with Fender and the design team through quality reviews helped establish standards and prevented rework.
Design highlights and industry recognition
The completed headquarters features a third-floor performance deck, skylit corridors, and a floor plan that subtly incorporates a guitar shape. The facility earned recognition from the NAIOP Arizona Chapter and the AZRE RED Awards.
Beyond its functional utility, the building was designed to support Fender's operational needs and creative culture through industry-standard acoustic engineering and flexible workspaces.
