Driven by its mission to increase books in the lives of Chicagoland’s at-risk children, at Bernie’s Book Bank in Lake Bluff, green really does mean “go.” Guided by Partners By Design’s expertise, the 35,000 square foot transition of their existing warehouse and expansion of their office space has elevated their ability to make the world a better place. Throughout the warehouse, outlines on the floor denote the sizes of their first warehouse, showing visitors that they’ve never lost sight where they came from. A flood of natural light highlights the ultra-cool open plan reception area, which fuses the neutral tones of wood and concrete with high contrast white and signature green paint. Flexible zones and huddle rooms make space for sponsor displays, and the inclusion of the Think Tank promotes creativity and collaboration for both in-house and external users.
Building a better space for their employees and volunteers has directly built better benefits for their clients. Now able to distribute more than 2 million books a year to underserved children in Chicago, the finished new office increases their capacity to reach their professional goals. Translating to an increase in volunteer forces, as well as visibility and a growing donor base, the addition of an event space and catering kitchen has taken their mission and ability to achieve it to the next level.
