The 405,000-square-foot stone, glass and steel headquarters building opening this month in Chesterfield, Mo., is visually bold. And it will certainly stand out among its neighbors.

“There is nothing like this building on the I-64 corridor or anywhere in Missouri,” said Bob Dunn of Fox Architects, in a written statement.

The Reinsurance Group of America headquarters building is the largest project in the St. Louis region since construction wrapped on Centene Plaza in 2010. It ranks as the largest headquarters project in the region in at least two decades.

Fox Architects designed the interiors of the building and served as Reinsurance Group of America’s consultant to architectural firm Gensler on the design of the core and shell of the building.

The architects didn’t skimp on style when designing the building. The headquarters consists of two five-story towers linked to a two-story atrium lobby and amenities bar. This space features 10,000 square feet of training facilities, a 7,500-square-foot fitness center, 20,000-square-foot kitchen area and a 500-seat cafeteria that can also function as a 700-seat auditorium.

The building, which sits on a 17-acre site, has been designed to accommodate future growth at Reinsurance Group of America. Plans are already in place for a third building on the site, one that will be built when growth at the company requires it.

Numerous conference areas, flexible workspaces and Wi-Fi access to high-speed Internet encourage employees to move around, call impromptu group meetings or carry their laptops to alternate work spaces when they need more space, quiet or privacy.

All of that “people moving” is expected to improve employee health, morale and productivity, said Colleen Crutcher of Fox Architects, which has worked on the planning and design of the facility for three years.

“We believe design can improve our clients’ businesses when it’s based on solid knowledge of how they operate,” said Crutcher, in a written statement.

ReBusiness Online ©December 2014