Solomon Cordwell Buenz was tasked with the office design for global snack provider, Mondelez International, located in Chicago, Illinois.

Mondelez International, Inc., one of the world’s largest snack providers and home to many well-known brands such as Oreo, Cadbury, Triscuit, and Nabisco, selected SCB to design their new 80,000 square-foot Chicago headquarters. The company’s strategic decision to move from a suburban location to the vibrant Fulton Market District was devised as an opportunity to attract talent and accommodate future growth, as well as link more directly with consumers, thereby enhancing recognition of their iconic brands.

Working closely with company leadership, SCB developed a new vision for Mondelez’s headquarters; one that blends contemporary workplace design, authentically urban materials, and local artisanry. Visually, the space aligns with Mondelez’s brand palette, but gestures towards the wabi-sabi design approach, embracing the ‘beautifully imperfect.’ Brick walls and columns, steel connecting stairs and accents, and wood ceilings are combined with lighthearted art installations and murals throughout the space, creating a unique, engaging, warm and playful environment, evocative of the “feel good” vibes that their snacks and products have delivered to their customers for decades.

Spacious, flexible and interactive, the four-story open office is completely comprised of free address bench-style workstations, including those of the executive team and CEO. Complementing the open office are a variety of support spaces such as phone rooms and conference rooms, as well as informal meeting spaces and cafes to accommodate individual and group workstyles. A “Connect Zone” on the fifth floor provides staff with a company store, a communal kitchen, and large gathering area with a stage for all staff meetings and presentations. The “Connect Zone” opens to one of the office’s two large outdoor terraces, which offer additional opportunities for community building amongst staff.

Design: Solomon Cordwell Buenz

Photography: Kendall McCaugherty

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