Small BusinessArchitecture

Longaberger Company Headquarters' Looks Like A Giant Picnic Basket

LOOK: This Is Not Your Average Picnic Basket
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One company in Ohio seems to be making a concerted effort to make employees feel small.

In Newark, Ohio, the Longaberger Company's headquarters is a giant re-creation of the founder's favorite product -- the Medium Market Basket. One hundred and sixty times the size of the basket on which it is based, the seven-story building covers 180,000 square feet, features handles that weigh approximately 150 tons and sits on a 25-acre lot.

The company spent $30 million to build the office building and it took over two years to finish construction of the company's custom design.

Inside, 500 employees enjoy the view from 84 windows fit in between the giant slats and a 30,000 square ft. atrium, according to the company's web site.

Dave Longaberger, the company's founder, learned how to make baskets from his father and started the company in 1976. The basket office building was a long-standing dream of his and he was able to see it through just in time. The project was finished about a year before Longaberger died in 1999.

For more photos of the building and grounds, check out the My Modern Met article here.

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Before You Go

Trippy.com Presents Amazing Architecture Around the World
Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple; Madurai, India(01 of10)
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While there’s some crossover between legend and fact, it’s generally thought that the current temple was constructed some time in the 1600s. Amazingly, the inside of the temple is no less impressive than the outside with features like the Hall of a Thousand Pillars (there are actually 985) among its gems. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Rajesh Krishnan
8 Spruce Street (New York by Gehry); New York City, New York(02 of10)
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Even in a town where everything seems to happen first, this innovative design impresses. The 11th-tallest residential tower in the world, 8 Spruce houses an elementary school and will also eventually be home to a hospital. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Felipe Pietri
Cao Dai Temple; Tay Ninh, Vietnam(03 of10)
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Amazingly colorful and ornate, the Cao Dai temple took over 20 years to build and is filled with fascinating symbolism (for example, there are 28 dragon columns; the number 28 representing Buddha’s 28 manifestations). Among the temple’s most impressive features is an enormous sphere representing the Divine Eye of God. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Mike Gadd
"L'Hemisferic" at City of Arts and Sciences; Valencia, Spain(04 of10)
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It will come as no shock that this building, which houses an IMAX theater, a planetarium, and laserium. What will surprise, however, is that the building’s acoustics allow for two people to stand at either end of the building and have a conversation. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Matteo De Felice
BMW Welt; Munich, Germany(05 of10)
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If every car dealership looked like this, the lines for tune-ups would be out the door. Completed in 2007, the facility is not only a showroom, but an exhibition space as well and even has its own restaurant. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: uspecks_photography
National Architects Union Headquarters; Bucharest, Romania(06 of10)
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What organization, other than an architect’s union, could possibly have built this building? The union curates architectural exhibits in both Romania and abroad so be sure to check out their calendar. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Pereulok
Changdeokgung; Seoul, South Korea(07 of10)
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Originally built in the 15th century, Changdeokgung was named to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2007. The Buckingham Palace of its time, it was said to have had a strong role in shaping subsequent Korean architecture. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Dave Wilkie
Seikei University Library; Tokyo, Japan(08 of10)
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Application rates had to have gone up when this library was completed. Modern and retro at the same time, its details include desk lamps that follow the building’s aesthetic as well as cool enclosed pods that allow for groups to chat without disturbing anyone. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Miki Noguchi
La Defense; Almere Business Center; Almere, Netherlands(09 of10)
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Talk about mood swings. The glass on this complex of buildings is covered in a multi-colored foil, allowing the buildings to literally change color depending on time of day. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Jochem Veenstra
Arab World Institute; Paris, France(10 of10)
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Although it looks like a run-of-the-mill modern building from afar, if you look closely you can see that each little square on the building is actually an aperture that opens and closes to control the amount of light let in. If you visit in the summer, be sure to go on a Sunday night when dancers come out to dance the tango in front of the structure. See all the Amazing Works of Architecture here. Photo credit: Anders Bengtsson
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