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Renovation & Space Planning
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WORK = Renovation & Space Planning +
Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP (RSHC)
Chicago, IL | 27,000 SF | Construction Cost: $563,000
Completed: 2024
Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP faced the challenge of realigning 27,000 SF of traditional legal workspace with evolving hybrid work patterns, compounded by diverging workplace expectations between senior leadership and emerging professionals. Without intervention, the firm risked real estate underutilization, persistent technological friction, and diminished cross-generational collaboration and mentorship.
Constraints & Tensions
Flexibility vs. Connectivity:
The firm needed to support agile attendance and hoteling without sacrificing the social aspect, spontaneous communication, and firm-wide gathering that is common in legal practice.
Multi-Generational Expectations:
The design had to resolve differing workplace expectations between senior leadership (who prioritized privacy, acoustic control, and established working modes) and emerging attorneys/professionals (who favored mobility, open collaboration, and flexible settings).
Aging Infrastructure:
Existing power, data cabling, lighting, and finishes were outdated and unable to support seamless plug-and-play hybrid technology across the entire floorplate.
Cost Efficiency:
Delivering a complete refresh and technological modernization across 27,000 SF on a disciplined construction budget ($563,000 or approximately $20.85/sf)
PHILOSOPHY
"Balancing Flexibility with Connectivity" — creating a responsive workplace ecosystem that bridges generational work styles, equips the firm for hybrid mobility, and strengthens firm-wide community and culture.
Hoteling & Agile Workspace Reorganization
Transitioned underutilized dedicated workstations into flexible hoteling stations, aligning physical desk capacity with actual hybrid attendance patterns.
Multi-Generational Expectations:
The design had to resolve differing workplace expectations between senior leadership (who prioritized privacy, acoustic control, and established working modes) and emerging attorneys/professionals (who favored mobility, open collaboration, and flexible settings).
Aging Infrastructure:
Existing power, data cabling, lighting, and finishes were outdated and unable to support seamless plug-and-play hybrid technology across the entire floorplate.
Cost Efficiency:
Delivering a complete refresh and technological modernization across 27,000 SF on a disciplined construction budget ($563,000 or approximately $20.85/sf)
Constraints & Tensions
Chief Executive Officer
We count on this visionary to define strategic priorities, allocate resources responsibly, and ensure every decision reinforces long-term value creation.
Head of Operations
We trust this leader to synchronize production, logistics, and support functions, cultivating dependable processes that uphold our service commitments.
Lead Engineer
We depend on this engineer to transform conceptual requirements into robust technical solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructures.