After outgrowing their existing facility, and recognizing the need for more cross-collaboration of their six major business divisions, The Andersons Corporation made the decision to design and build a new 200,000 SF corporate headquarters to accommodate up to 700 employees.
The Andersons is a company deeply rooted in their community and this ethos helped guide the planning of the new building from site selection through individual workstation layout. The building is set within a former golf course amongst the natural landscape and is intended to blend seamlessly with the scale of the existing natural environment. Local plant species and landscape strategies were implemented to mitigate pollution and storm-water runoff in an effort to create a park-like setting for employees and community alike.
The building entry, set on the second of three levels, is designed to pull the visitor above the natural landscape. Gradually rising from the parking lot on the approach to the building, the visitor is provided views of the surrounding site. Upon entry, visitors and employees are immediately within the heart of the building at the second level with views to the other two levels through a large central atrium. The entry lobby contains a branded display wall which outlines the company’s history and passion for their community. The space is designed to provide a comfortable environment for both local farmers and potential business partners.
Beyond the lobby, employee workspace is divided into five major divisions. Four of the five divisions are organized around the central three-story atrium, with the fifth division “Commodities Trade,” located on level one. The building planning is based on a 60’ foot deep bar module, designed to allow natural light at every workstation. Groups of approximately twenty workstations are organized into “neighborhoods” to maximize efficiency and collaboration. Exterior windows are arranged at the aisles between the workstations of each neighborhood to provide views back out to the natural landscape.
The new headquarters has become an essential tool for recruitment and retention and provides a space for the cultural shift the corporation is promoting, fostering collaboration and investment into all divisions of the Anderson’s business.
The Collaborative engaged Perkins + Will to provide Design leadership on the areas of Corporate Planning and Environmental Branding.
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