HOLMDEL – Bell Works is continuing its “live, work, play” initiative by offering tenants and members of the public unique entertainment experiences at its modern metropolis.
The 2-million-square-foot workplace, which was formerly known as Bell Labs, is currently home to retail and restaurant tenants on the ground level of the six-story building in Holmdel.
On Aug. 29, Bell Works, which refers to itself as the first “metroburb,” served as the host to a beach bash on its roof to commemorate the end of the summer. Featuring a performance by Quincy Mumford and the Reason Why, cocktails and a virtual entertainment experience, events at Bell Works seek to redefine the status quo of life in the workplace, according to Paola Zamudio.
Zamudio is the creative director at Bell Works and is responsible for catering to and crafting the visual experience that is offered at the location.
“The idea is that this building is all about play and work. (Bell Works) is not just an office building,” Zamudio said. “Here, you can come and take a break, go to the roof deck and have a drink and then go back to work. We want to create a very balanced environment. As the creative director, I put together these types of events that create a great environment for people at work.”
Zamudio said events like the beach bash take place at least once a month. Many of the events offered at Bell Works are open to the public, she said, although some events are exclusive for tenants of the building.
“We want to encourage people to shop and come to the restaurants we have here. We want to create a pedestrian street, with people coming and having a nice lunch and then having a nice happy hour drink. This is for the public, too. (Bell Works) is part of what you would find if you went to Manhattan and then go to a rooftop,” she said.
Coinciding with theme of the summer beach bash, a virtual reality (VR) experience that placed individuals inside of a shark tank was available at the Aug. 29 event.
Oasis VRX, a tenant that will be coming to Bell Works in January 2019, debuted a fully immersive VR experience that served as a formal introduction of the company to the tenants and visitors of the metroburb that evening.
The VR experience, which placed attendees in a confined space beneath the surface of the ocean as a 3,000-pound shark stalked the area, appeared to delight and terrify those who tested the future tenant’s business.
Todd Schobel, a partner of Oasis VRX, said the company will have space on the first floor, which is being crafted as an indoor Main Street. The business will integrate well with the “live, work, play” theme of Bell Works, he said.
“We are going to be bringing all types of experiences. We are going to do several events before we actually go live in the building,” Schobel said. “We are not just going to be about gaming. We are also going to have educational experiences where we bring in schools. Students will be able to (virtually) see the human body or (virtually) go into the universe, or into the solar system.”
Schobel said virtual reality is also being used in healthcare.
“People who are suffering from pain, it is proven that virtual reality will help with pain management … Can you imagine if we could reduce the opioid use?” Schobel said.
