Eckenhoff Saunders Offices
Chicago, Illinois (Loop)
Eckenhoff Saunders relocated from a West Loop loft building to One Prudential Plaza – reducing our footprint in half while allowing room for growth. The new space was designed to support a collaborative and communal workplace environment while, most importantly, being a place of creative inspiration.
What Eckenhoff Saunders lacked in our former space, the new address delivered ten-fold: natural light and million-dollar views. Lake Michigan, Millennium Park, and Michigan Avenue are easily appreciated; because of this, the interior architecture had to support the views, not compete.
Upon entering Eckenhoff Saunders’ suite, the reception area is small in footprint but delivers a front-door impact. LED panels serve as both signage and a scrolling portfolio of our work. The reception desk’s perforated backlit panels are a matrix pattern, symbolizing development and form. The matrix pattern complements the linear LED recessed lighting above and the parallel walnut planks behind the desk. The openness, views, and natural daylight of much of the space were preserved by locating all the workstations (each a sit/stand) along the perimeter windows while supporting office elements were located at the core. The core volume comprises such office functions as mail/print, library, and the Townhall. These active spaces are all located in the walnut-clad volume and act as the hub of Eckenhoff Saunders.