First Federal Bank of Kansas City (FFBKC) was faced with a changing dynamic brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and sending their employees to work from home. FFBKC noticed that their employees were generally happier, equally or more productive, and still engaged while working from home.

Location: Leawood, KS
Size: 21,000 SF

As FFBKC began to reevaluate their needs for their workplace, they realized that the purpose of their workplace has evolved from simply a place to do work to a hub for collaboration, connection with colleagues, and easy access to tools that employees may need for their specific roles.

FFBKC’s new headquarters is designed with intentionality, fully leveraging the function of each space to make its workplace into a destination. Inspired by FFBKC’s mission, values, and strong visual identity, the design began to unfold into a series of “we” spaces that encourage gathering and interaction. FFBKC and Helix framed these spaces in the context of a house, a key element of FFBKC’s mission of facilitating home ownership for their clients. The finish palette is another visual reminder of their playful and approachable brand — a balance between bright, modern, and warm, with touches of fun elements sprinkled throughout.

FFBKC wanted to create a comfortable environment and a desired place for their employees to work. The main areas are community-oriented and include a welcoming kitchen and cafe with an adjacent great room, library, and a mix of gathering areas. When associates choose to work in the office, there will still be a collection of flexible, individual work spaces that provide a variety of tools and levels of privacy to meet various work styles.