As one of the oldest market making firms in the world, our client has been improving financial markets since 1986. The firm’s new office in Chicago’s Prudential Plaza grew its existing physical presence in Chicago and established a dynamic centralized hub for operations across the United States.

The company works across five critical domains: trading, technology, risk & control, data science, and business operations. While its employees are competitive at heart, the company culture is based on the idea that their best work is done together. The new environment accommodates the firm’s collaborative team approach and reflects its reputation for efficiency, transparency, and stability.

As the global market marker, the office is operational 24-hours a day and supports constant real-time collaborations with other offices and teams around the globe. Retrofitting the high-rise building with dedicated backup generators and incorporating rigorous yet seemingly transparent security sequencing were essential for the planning and design of this “always open” office.

Culture is a key for this client. Its employees are casual, but hardworking. As a space that is operational 24/7, GLP designed a space that was light, bright, and open with comfortable amenities and took was important in supporting the staff’s quality of life. The functional space arrangement enhances everyday efficiencies—
such as placing bathrooms and cafe amenities steps away from the trading floor so traders minimize time away from their stations.