Creating an inviting atmosphere that both engages employees and encourages team member collaboration is a common objective when designing a new office space. This was the case when building Zurich Insurance Group's brand new North American headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb located just 40 minutes northwest of Chicago.
The intent for the new design was two-fold; to enhance employee communication and collaboration, while ensuring the design would stand the test of time. Led by the developer, Clayco, the building was designed by Chicago-based architecture firm Goettsch Partners, working in collaboration with CannonDesign, who handled interior design and workplace strategy. To incorporate employee's ideas into the design, Goettsch Partners and CannonDesign worked collaboratively with Zurich employee's from day one, crowd-sourcing ideas and gathering feedback that would be incorporated throughout.