Russell Investments, a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual, was looking to create an energized environment that would enable ideas to be exchanged more quickly around the world. The solution included the relocation of its headquarters and migration from a traditional office/cubicle standard to an open office/collaborative work environment. NBBJ was invited to better align Russell’s workplace solutions with the changing nature of its work practices to add value to the business. Building upon best practices and lessons learned from corporate offices around globe, the new space solves many of the core limitations associated with traditional open work environments.
Open Floor Plan
Large floor plates offered Russell the chance to increase group adjacencies and create critical team mass. The move enabled the firm to increase from 80 to 100 employees per floor to 275 to 300 per floor. Usable square feet per employee is significantly lower than their previous location and the industry average for asset management and financial service firms.