a NeW WaVe
HULA offers a wide range of co-working membership plans that allow members to take full advantage of their campus and facilities , including their “ Air Desk ,” “ Designated Desk ,” and “ Private Office ” options . Their competitively-priced plans seek to democratize Burlington ’ s tech economy by providing a place for emergent entrepreneurs to grow their businesses . HULA also hosts a variety of events , such as the upcoming “ See Change ” summit , which will be held there from September 13-15 , 2022 . In addition , HULA works closely with a thoughtfully-curated group of innovative companies that occupy the larger offices on their campus , including BETA Technologies , Glavel , Galen Healthcare Solutions , OVR Technology , and Benchmark , among others . Over the past several years , HULA has forged effective partnerships with several of the businesses that lease their spaces through targeted venture capital investments facilitated by The Fund at HULA . They have also provided the businesses with handson mentorship services that have helped them grow their reach . By doing so , HULA and The Fund at HULA have created a noticeable tidal shift in the proverbial
66 VERMONT MAGAZINE
waters of Burlington ’ s business scene . In the process , they have catalyzed a new wave of sustainable prosperity for the State of Vermont .
HULA ’ s forward-thinking business model is perfectly manifested through the groundbreaking architecture of its gorgeous buildings , which were purposely designed to encourage symbiotic collaboration between entrepreneurs and businesses . The overarching aesthetic of HULA ’ s campus is equal parts surfside-chic , industrial , and modernistic . All decorative elements and architectural features in the buildings tell an important part of HULA ’ s complex origin story . Working hand in hand with the talented architects at the celebrated Burlington-based architectural firm SAS , the founding members of HULA , including HULA ’ s founder , Russ Scully , HULA ’ s CEO , Rob Lair , and HULA ’ s Creative Director , Jeff Henderson , were able to brilliantly redesign the buildings from the ground up in a thoughtful and conscious manner . Recently , their painstaking efforts were commended by the Vermont chapter of the American Institute for Architects , who presented them with an award for the best Historic and Adaptive Reuse of a Building . As HULA continues to build their campus and manifest their vision , several of their team members sat down with VERMONT Magazine to share their thoughts on the design and layout of the buildings , their standout architectural elements , and the stories behind the most notable and awe-inspiring features and amenities on the HULA grounds .
Old Bricks , Old Wood , New Vision
In the biggest building of the three currently-active buildings on HULA ’ s campus ( Building # 50 ), several conference rooms and offices are flanked by walls that are made out of repurposed wood and old bricks . The repurposed cottonwood benches in Building # 50 are made out of wood that was responsibly-sourced from nearby trees , which were cut down around the HULA campus to accommodate the build . In addition to aiding in HULA ’ s environmental sustainability efforts , the benches also lend an air of rustic beauty to the space .