Epstein's Top 100 Projects: #96: Spiegel Corporate Headquarters

Today’s feature in our Top 100 Projects is a massive interior programming, planning and design project in Downers Grove, Illinois for the clothing company Spiegel completed in 1992.

Prior to Spiegel's retention of a base building architect, our interiors group (at the time called Interior Space International) was retained to prepare a comprehensive space programming and utilization report for the new Spiegel, Inc. Corporate Headquarters. The programming report communicated to the client not only square footage requirements over benchmark years, but also provided adjacency studies and preliminary block planning, stacking and site analysis.

After evaluating several options, Spiegel decided on a build-to-suit building in suburban Chicago. As such, Epstein provide full scope interior design services for this massive 600,000 square foot facility, working closely with the building architects, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The major goals in the space planning and design concepts were to achieve openness, flexibility and maximum exterior natural light.

Some of the core spaces included: An executive lobby, board room and offices; workstations featuring Steelcase furniture systems and Zumtobel lighting fixtures; break and conference rooms; clothing buyer storage/displays; and a large cafeteria/kitchen featuring ample daylighting.