The completely refreshed and reimagined workspace at National Guardian Life Insurance Company’s (NGL) headquarters in Madison, Wis has received a Silver Design Award for Office/Corporate 21,000 to 49,000 square feet from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Wisconsin for Strang, Inc.’s design efforts.
With the majority of NGL’s workforce working remotely in March 2020, the remodel of a total 7-floors began.
“NGL wanted to create an environment that would foster collaboration and connection. The goal was to expand work options and offer a balance between in-office and offsite connectivity, mobility and collaboration,” said Erica Ostendorf Mullins, Executive Vice President, Director of Interior Design at Strang, Inc. “This resulted in a master plan that offered an optimized and flexible work environment that accommodates current operations while also allowing for future opportunities.”
There were three core components that were at the heart of the redesigned building – employees, community and sustainability.
“We wanted the building to be a space that could be utilized and enjoyed. In addition to creating a more modern, collaborative space, investing in the newest audio/visual technology, enhancing safety features, and overall improvements were made to the building that focused on employee needs and well-being,” said Jessica Grann, Senior Vice President, Chief Culture and Communications Officer at NGL. “Strang was an excellent partner for us with their forward-focused approach. They listened to our needs and thoughtfully developed a plan to help achieve our goals for the space.”
One of the goals was to ensure the building would be an inclusive, welcoming space for all. Working with Michael Ford, an award-winning architect and well-known speaker, a two-story custom fine art piece dedicated to NGL’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) was installed in the newly remodeled lobby. The impressive stone artwork takes NGL’s DEI statement and breaks it down letter by letter spanning 14 feet wide and 25 feet high.
Additionally, the first floor was converted into a meeting/event space with conference rooms and open space available to host community events. “For over a century we’ve been a member of the Madison community. Being there for others and serving people is ingrained in our culture. We are proud to be able to give back and support our nonprofit partners in a variety of ways. The redesigned first floor provides a spacious, attractive area for meetings and events. Not only do we have an updated building, but we are in an ideal location being on the Isthmus with views of both Lake Mendota and the Madison Capitol. We’ve already had the opportunity to host a few of our nonprofit partners for their important events and we look forward to sharing our building into the future,” said Maria Lubick, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Communications and Community Engagement at NGL.
With NGL’s hybrid work model, two floors in the building were designed to offer tenant space. The fourth and fifth floors were remodeled as essentially a blank slate for companies
interested in leasing to make a space that best meets their needs.
Concentrating on sustainability and being more environmentally friendly and efficient new exterior glass windows replaced the original windows from 1964, as well as new energy efficient lighting and mechanicals installed.
From ASID Wisconsin’s website, the “Annual Design Excellence Awards promote the work that Wisconsin Interior Designers have accomplished through creating spaces that continually uplift and meet the needs of the community.”
“Congratulations to Erica Ostendorf Mullins and Strang on receiving this award. We are incredibly proud of our building and are excited to share it with our employees and the community. The newly remodeled building strengthens our roots in the community and helps to revitalize our company. We look forward to innovating, evolving and welcoming everyone to our new space as we build on our legacy and focus on the future,” said Grann.