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| 3Com has grown rapidly as a networking system maker since its start in 1979. In 1997, following their merger with Chicago based US Robotics, 3Com decided to consolidate the sites of the two companies in the Chicago area, and created a new base for their Midwest operations. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The building's west façade catches attention of anyone driving
along Interstate 290 by the unique exterior of alternating slanted panels in concrete,
stretching for 150m. Originally a two-story building with precast-concrete structure, built in the 1960's, it had 408,000 ft2 of floor space. After a gut renovation and an addition of a new floor, the building looks brand new with 512,000 ft2 of total floor space. With the climate of hot summers and frigid winters, the use of outdoor space was not realistic. The solution was to create a main street / atrium on the west side of the building, and to place around it numerous amenities that appealed to both employees and visitors alike. The colorful and open workspace is both functional and well designed. As with all other 3Com sites, there is not a single private room. Each employee is provided a cubicle (workstation.) To supplement the lack of private spaces, as many as 80 conference rooms function as spaces to maintain privacy or to have exchanges. The workspace is divided into 6 blocks of Northwest, Northeast, Midwest, Mideast, Southwest and Southeast, each color coded for easy orientation. Each block is then subdivided into neighborhoods, separated by a "Pod," a 24 x 24 public cluster that houses conference rooms, a convenience center equipped with copiers and office supplies and a coffee station. With its landmark appearance that announces "3Com is here in Chicago," and the workplace designed to pursue functionality and comfort, 3Com will not only attract high-caliber workers but also raise the morale of the employees. |
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