Citation of Merit

Gensler

• Division Commercial
• Location Chicago, IL
• General contractor Pepper Construction Company
• Consultants BLM Engineers (Electrical); Environmental Systems Design (Mechanical)

Overview

To foster employee collaboration, designers drew upon natural and technological networks as inspiration for the design of IBM's new 126,000-square-foot Hyatt Center offices. The key was in creating a place that people would want to inhabit – a place that speaks to change, innovation, and a collaborative spirit. Standing in stark contrast to rigidly orthogonal cubicles that are aligned with the building geometry, the curvilinear Town Centers and Executive Briefing Center dominate the design. Changing color and graphics highlight two key cultural points: IBM is based on connections and is a global company. Jurors appreciated the "consistency of detail and sparseness of treatment." One juror liked how the architect "provided a variety of experiences within that space."