NELSON Worldwide recently completed a new headquarters for Corix, a utilities company dedicated to the implementation of sustainable water, wastewater, and energy utility infrastructure solutions. Recently relocated from their suburban headquarters to the new downtown Chicago location, Corix's new HQ now unifies each of the brand's dedicated functions-water, wastewater, and energy.
NELSON transformed Corix's new offices to create an entirely different atmosphere from their previous space. Corix's original offices were compartmentalized with minimal opportunities for collaboration. In contrast, the new space utilizes fewer private offices creating a more transparent environment, while functional furniture creates natural partitions while still offering opportunities for collaboration.
Pops of color allude to the brand palette, while the overall personality of the space represents key characteristics of the company including pride, community, and collaboration. The design team also created a café for employee engagement during traditional work hours as well after-hours socializing and flexible event space, extending the utilization beyond the traditional nine to five.
Moss walls throughout the office help bring the outdoors in, while natural light is enhanced by open sightlines from one end of the office to the other. Taking an abstract approach to environmental graphics, NELSON installed pipes throughout the space to serve a dual purpose: vibrant décor and creative wayfinding. Each pipe color represents a core market the company serves and acts as a gentle and organic guide, leading employees and guests in the right direction.
The office is organized into 'ecosystems' that adapt to support their own functions and then circulate out to the environment at large. Each ecosystem contributes to and draws from the same reservoir creating a strong chain of community. There are three distinct graphics throughout the space, each representing the three ways they provide power to their clients - water, gas, and electricity.
Photography: Brandon Stengel