Bread Financial Offices – Columbus
Carefully researched, designed and executed, the newly optimized office footprint for Bread Financial gives the data-driven payment company a refreshing space to attract and retain talent in the Columbus area.
Unispace designed a thoughtful and cohesive space for Bread Financial at their offices in Columbus, Ohio.
Bread Financial, a leader in data-driven payment, lending, and saving solutions, was looking to optimize their campus footprint and upgrade their workspaces to increase efficiency and engagement among teams. They turned to Unispace’s integrated approach to help them understand how their people wanted to work and build a space that would attract and retain talent while meeting business goals.
Knowing that strategy would be the key to unlocking a flexible, long-term space, Unispace started the project with visioning sessions, a company-wide survey, and leadership interviews which recommended giving employees autonomy regarding where they work, fostering equity, and encouraging camaraderie. The process recommended that a specific mix of innovation, problem solving, and community spaces, in line with Unispace’s Propeller Framework, was right to create the employee experience they were looking for. Based on this outcome, Unispace’s strategy and design teams worked hand-in-hand to create more equitable and functional spaces.
Unispace shifted away from offices and assigned desks, and instead created neighborhoods to support varying employee work styles and seamless collaboration. This change allowed a move from 3 buildings into 2 while providing a much better employee experience, the centerpiece being an entire floor of amenity space at the heart of the campus that brings staff together to foster a sense of community.
Innovative technology including a phone app allows staff to conveniently book desks and conference rooms, locate their colleagues, and have a sense of control over their decisions. Sustainability is considered through the incorporation of daylighting, LED light fixtures, greenery, and electrical and plumbing systems that meet current code requirements.
Unispace’s preconstruction team worked alongside the design team to find a design that featured high-impact areas and reused existing architecture for the highest ROI. Unispace added a number of design elements to address acoustical concerns in the open plan like dropped ceilings, acoustical lights, and plants for visual privacy. During the project Bread Financial also re-branded and Unispace was able to shift the design to accommodate new brand elements and colors. With their new, more equitable space, both Bread Financial’s staff and the market have given highly positive feedback.
Design: Unispace
Photography: Christopher Barrett
