Enova – Chicago Offices

Firm
  • Client Enova,
  • size 160,000 sqft
  • Year 2015
  • Location Chicago, Illinois, United States,
  • Industry Technology,
  • Partners by Design has designed the new offices of data analytics company Enova located in Chicago, Illinois.

    Validating their commitment to Chicago’s growing tech community, Enova recently completed a move of 860-plus employees – including more than 330 customer contact representatives – to their new 160,000-square-foot office space in an iconic Daniel Burnham building in the Chicago Loop.

    Given a large floor plate of 57,000 square feet, Partners by Design was challenged to appeal to multiple generations withinEnova’s workforce and provide a space that would focus on employee recruitment and retention. PBD concentrated on interspersing pockets of open collaboration spaces, phone rooms, open and closed conferencing throughout the workzone to help alleviate the stress of scheduling a conference room. PBD also designed a large lunchroom including a game room with a variety of seating postures and technology to facilitate full staff meetings and social events. Enova was resolute in providing daylight and views to all employees. Therefore, only 13 interior private offices have been located on the corporate floors. All other corporate staff occupies 6 x 6 workstations with 50” high panels. Enova committed to providing 57,000 square feet to call center space to encourage better cross communication within the organization and providing transparency to leadership.

    PBD was asked to celebrate color, texture and the application of finishes in an unusual manner. We wanted to express through the design the alignment of Enova’s technical savvy with a nod to the company’s sense of fun and creativity. One of the ways this was realized within the space was through the use of applied plywood and graffiti. Enova enlisted Miguel “Kane One” Aguilar a teacher at The School of the Art Institute to create street art that represented Enova’s key values.

    Design: Partners by Design
    Photography:  Tom Harris, Hedrich Blessing Photography