Awards
InBusiness Madison
Coolest Office Designs
2020
American Society of Interior Design (ASID)
Silver Design Excellence Award for Contract – Office/Corporate 50,0000 and over
2019
LEED Silver
2020
Top Project Award from The Daily Reporter
2019
Objective:
Forward-Thinking Finance
This six-story, 152,000 square-foot new headquarters building sought to showcase Summit Credit Union’s values and reflect their forward-thinking vision to inspire and help members achieve their dreams through financial education and stewardship. The result of Strang and Summit’s fruitful collaboration is the creation of a state-of-the-art workplace that focuses on sustainability and wellness—of both mind and body—in addition to the financial wellness that is at the core of their mission.
SOLUTION:
Inspiration and Collaboration
“Strang is very open to taking your ideas, taking your thought processes, taking your needs and combining that into the best possible solution that you can get.”
Kim Sponem, CEO/President, Summit Credit Union
Wellness in the Workplace
Summit’s commitment to wellness drove all aspects of the design from the very beginning, from site selection to programming, planning, and design. On approach to the building, the value of the outdoors is established through prominently featured outdoor seating areas, walking paths, volleyball courts, and a small amphitheater, all situated amongst native plants and landscaping. Employees are actively encouraged to make use of these spaces throughout the day. The outdoors is also incorporated into the building structure itself in the form of occupiable green roofs. Indoors, a fitness center and yoga studio further reinforce this commitment to health and wellness.
The dedication to the health and well-being of employees and members also recurs throughout the interior of the building. The Be Well Cafe, on the first floor, actively encourages employees to make healthy choices, but also serves the important role of building community and provides a space to gather to celebrate successes and recognize accomplishments. The inspiration branch, a living, breathing, fully functional credit union branch, is designed as a theme park, packed with elements that represent the aspirational goals that one might save for. Financial literacy, dreaming big, and planning for the future are all core values of financial wellness for this client.
Summit Credit Union’s Headquarters is LEED Silver Certified!
Alongside wellness, Summit’s focus on sustainability is also prominent through their LEED Silver certification, which verifies reduced use of water, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions. Among other features, the new building features enhanced air circulation and energy savings using underfloor air distribution, green-friendly flooring and lighting, and a 17,500-gallon rainwater harvest cistern to capture and reuse rainwater. Likewise, to support the goals of sustainability and stewardship, priority was placed on recycled and renewable resources and materials.
Bold Design
The design approach incorporates many strategies to accommodate multiple working and meeting styles, imitating a campus-like feeling. Throughout the building, bold colors create a striking interior where no spaces feel “standard”. Instead, all spaces are celebrated with a bold and varied use of materials and textures. By balancing these two strategies of color and variation, we’ve provided unconventional multi-use spaces, each with their own unique identity, that can serve equally well for both meeting and relaxation. The resulting spaces support the client’s goal of creating a fun and vibrant workplace that supports both physical and mental well-being.
