Designed by Perkins&Will, a new headquarters in Chicago serves as a hub for consumer healthcare platform the Aspen Group. The move was part of a major rebrand from a provider of dental services expanding to other areas within the healthcare arena, including medical aesthetics and urgent care centers.
The company relocated most operations from Syracuse, New York to the Windy City, offering both an office and center for instruction. “The Aspen Group recruits dentists, hygienists, and other medical professionals. And they have an extensive training and onboarding process as part of their program. They selected a building at the gateway of Fulton Market reflective of the new brand, and to support their continued growth,” said Tim Wolfe, design director, Perkins&Will.
It was essential that the design of the 145,000-square-foot office reinforce the idea that the Aspen Group is an integrated, purpose-driven company, fostering community among a diverse staff. “A lot of these people are coming from rural America, and many of them have never been to a large city,” Wolfe noted.
The architects wanted to ensure that everyone moved through the office — spread over eight floors — seamlessly. “When you are doing a vertical campus, one of the challenges is to make sure that people feel connected,” Wolfe said. “Rather than a central core, which is common in office building design, this one is offset to the north. It opens up the floor and views to the south across the city.”
The main reception area and the one directly below it are linked via bleacher-style seating, forming the focal point of the interior, while also encouraging interaction in a relaxed setting. “The bleachers are meant to be a gathering point, which then connects to the social component of the café and the barista,” Wolfe explained. “You don’t have to get in an elevator to go there. It doesn’t feel so stratified.”
Dubbed the Aspen Market, this eatery is key for those who are in training sessions for hours at a time. They can have a meal or take a break without having to leave the building, especially important for people not yet familiar with the city. Wolfe said they incorporated hospitality touches to echo the distinct style of the neighborhood. “We took our cues from the great restaurants in the area to create a little bit of intimacy and character. It’s the opposite of a corporate cafeteria, and it was designed to be used as an all-day workspace.”
All of the sections in the office are flexible, and can accommodate any number of tasks or workers throughout the day. Options range from enclosed spaces to informal breakout areas, following the client’s directive. “The Aspen Group gave us a specific program of their wants and needs. From a scale standpoint, they start from large multipurpose rooms that can be divided to single phone booths. It’s really about variety and choice.”
The meeting places in particular are highly functional and outfitted with the latest equipment. The designers recalled their own trial-and-error as they hosted virtual sessions during the height of the pandemic. “We started this project in March of 2020, and it was developed and presented remotely. The smaller conference rooms in the office evolved as a result of our work,” Wolfe noted. With audio-visual elements in place, there was an emphasis on illumination. “We put light fixtures on the wall, and we really designed these little studios to allow the employees to have effective Zoom calls. It is much more branded and high-tech.”
With experiential graphics and signage by IA Interior Architects to help tell the compelling company story, Wolfe and his team introduced complementary material and color palettes to bring in warmth. They decided to weave in the signature blue and add in a luxe brown tone. “We chose a camel color that pairs really well with the finishes. We used these authentic materials like brick and plywood that call to mind the working class history of this part of Chicago.”
Such originality is refreshing, an intentional focus from start to finish. “We wanted to create not only a state-of-the-art facility, but a great experience within this space that is an expression of the culture and brand,” Wolfe added.
