Fortune 100 Corporate Client World Headquarters Renovation and Modernization

Substance Architecture

Recognitions: AIA Iowa 2025 Design Awards, Central States Award for Excellence in Preservation or Adaptive Reuse

Project Description

Substance Architecture was retained to lead the effort to re-envision the workplace strategy for a Fortune 100 Corporation’s mid-century modern World Headquarters building in Moline, Illinois. The project includes a complete upgrade to the infrastructure of the building to improve energy efficiency and employee satisfaction. Workplace strategies were vetted through employee surveys, leadership input and industry benchmarking exercises. Numerous strategies for creating a modern workplace in a mid century modern building were developed and refined to address the feedback from employees. Company leadership and employee feedback guided the design process for the project. The major request was to modernize the workspace so that employees do not feel like they are working in a museum environment from the 1960’s. The headquarters building is considered a masterpiece, designed by Eero Saarinen in the early 1960s. The building was an early example of universal office design in the 1960s using de-mountable modular walls to create private offices and conferencing spaces. This project is designed to be constructed in multiple phases over five to six years to align with the corporate strategy and governance requirements of the Client.