zpd+a worked with BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois to revive an abandoned Target retail space into a vibrant office community in Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood. Incorporating a 550+ person call center and training facility, the design features two bold interior courtyards, flooding the interior office with natural light and providing a welcoming outdoor space for staff enjoyment.

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The LEED certified buildout integrates biophilic design and Fit Well standards throughout. The program was developed around design strategies that promote active living, creating opportunities to increase movement and interaction, leading to a balanced work space that is enjoyable to be in, develops team rapport, encourages personal health which in turn develops a stronger sense of team community, increasing the overall sense of satisfaction and well-being of employees, and impacting the bottom line.

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In addition to office and training space supporting HCSC business needs, the adjacent Blue Door Community Center provides health and wellness programs for the community, establishing a resource designed for preventative health and community wellness. The facility incorporates a multi-function event space which can be partitioned as required to serve as a large meeting space, intimate training room, and host for other community events, gatherings and demonstrations such as yoga, senior events, and health classes.

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The Morgan Park Service Center was competed on a compressed schedule, just 13 months from initial programming to construction completion and client move-in. zpd+a facilitated this aggressive schedule by concurrently running multiple phases: Core and Shell, Interior Design, FFE, and Graphics. Additionally, the project was completed 10% under budget, satisfying the client's bottom line without sacrificing design or quality.