When Western Window Systems moves into its 170,000-square-foot new home in South Phoenix on January 2, 2017, the most obvious benefit will be more than twice the room for manufacturing, sales, supply chain, customer service, and marketing.

But for the first time, employees will have an official space in which to congregate when they’re not hard at work making some of the best door systems and windows in the industry: an enclosed ground floor patio.

“We’re committed to helping people live better through indoor-outdoor living, so it makes sense that the design of our new building embraces this concept,” says Western Window Systems president and CEO Scott Gates. “We can’t wait for employees and visitors to experience our new patio.”

Designed by Scottsdale-based design firm Ware Malcomb, the patio will be enclosed by a four-foot-high block wall, on top of which will be planters and a modular green screen, providing a perfect getaway for employees looking for a pleasant place to lunch, brainstorm ideas, or just connect with co-workers outside of a work environment.

Western Window Systems designed the new building to reflect the culture of the company and double as a showroom where customers can experience the vast array of products in a real-life setting. The aesthetically inviting workplace will feature games such as pinball, pool, and foosball, and that sense of fun will extend to the patio as well. An AstroTurf area will be set up for games such as cornhole, a favorite among Western Window Systems employees.

The company’s commitment to indoor-outdoor living will be exemplified by a large sliding glass door that will open to the beautifully appointed patio and its wood decking, Knotwood trellis, and inviting string lights.

The new building, at 2220 East Riverview Drive, is located just north of the Salt River off South 24th Street in Phoenix. Construction will complete in December, with production beginning when the company resumes operations after its annual holiday break.