Lake Trust Credit Union Offices – Brighton
SmithGroup has designed the new offices of financial institution Lake Trust Credit Union, located in Brighton, Michigan.
Following the recent merger of two leading credit unions, Lake Trust Credit Union was eager to create a new headquarters for its members and employees that would unite the cultures of the two organizations and forge a shared vision of an “un-bank” financial institution. It selected a 16-acre site with rolling topography of woodlands and wetlands for its new home.
Rather than present design solutions, SmithGroup worked with Lake Trust to guide the project team through interactive design workshops that would shape their new workplace. The result is a 100-percent open environment, with senior leadership working alongside team members in open workstations. A grand central stair with stadium seating bisects a three-story atrium and anchors the entire space, a unifying element where associates circulate and interact. The design also capitalizes on the property’s natural beauty, blurring the lines between interior and exterior. A two-story front porch, second-floor balcony, outdoor dining and conferencing terrace with wetland views all contribute to Lake Trust’s unconventional culture and “un-bank” vision.
This design-build project was led by The Christman Company, which provided a wide array of development, program management and construction management services. Christman and SmithGroup led a pre-design Purposeful Facilities and Workplace Strategy process to help set key organizational culture, employee engagement, operational capabilities, and collaboration goals. Interior Environments partnered with the team to provide the furniture solution.
Design: SmithGroup
Photography: James Ewing
