Barnes & Thornburg, Chicago

The 65,000-sq.-ft. office of the Barnes & Thornburg law firm is located on two and a half floors of the new UBS Tower on Wacker Drive.

The new offices were required when the firm acquired Lee, Mann, Smith, McWilliams, Sweeney and Ohlson, an intellectual property firm in Chicago.

Each of the two firms was previously located in different facilities. Neither space was large enough to accommodate the newly merged firm.

Old and New

The client wanted the traditional ambience of an old building and the sophisticated infrastructure and large floor plates of new construction, resulting in the choice of the UBS Tower.

The goal was to transform raw space into an environment that identifies the client as a traditional, historically rich law firm with a technologically advanced practice.

This was achieved with a warm, rich palette of dark wood combined with white marble floors in the reception and feature areas. An elegant internal communicating staircase, which services three floors, combines open wood treads with a steel and wood railing system.

Visitors are transported from the building's sleek, ultra-modern lobby to the lush, well mannered offices.

Need for Speed

Speed was the primary construction issue, because the project had to be completed in 11 weeks.

Meticulous planning was done. Before bids went out, a preliminary construction schedule was put together that called for 10-hour days seven days a week and specified exactly when each trade would be on the job and for how long.
Subcontractors who bid on the project were required to commit to the schedule.

Long-lead items, such as millwork, lighting fixtures, carpeting, marble and some HVAC equipment, were ordered as soon as the final budget was approved.

And, the project was coordinated through weekly progress meetings among the key players to make sure information was shared, changes were approved and the schedule met.

The jury said, "This was a very tough building to work with. The schedule was also taxing - 11 weeks of 10-hour days. The results are beautiful."

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