EQ Office Honored in Fast Company's Innovation by Design Awards

Celebrating 10 years of Innovation by Design, the 2021 honorees include nearly 600 projects, products, and services from Nike, Verizon, Microsoft, and others.

Chicago, Illinois, September 21, 2021 – EQ Office was honored in Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards for 2021 in the Real Estate category for its redevelopment of Willis Tower. 

The 10th anniversary of the awards, which can be found in the October 2021 issue of Fast Company, recognize people, teams, and companies that transform businesses, organizations, and society through design. One of the most sought-after design awards in the industry, Innovation by Design is the only competition to honor creative work at the intersection of design, business, and innovation, recognizing the people, companies, and trends that have steadily advanced design to the forefront of the business conversation.

EQ successfully repositioned the iconic Willis Tower into an office resort that inspires and allows companies and employees to do their greatest work, and an urban destination that brings together the best amenities and experiences for Chicago locals and visitors alike. This massive project included the addition of Catalog, a 300,000 square-foot curated dining, entertainment and community experience, a 30,000 square-foot outdoor deck and garden at the base of the Tower, and 150,000 square feet of new tenant exclusive amenity spaces. The project forged ahead while 15,000 workers came to work at the Tower each day and while thousands of tourists visited Skydeck.

“The goal for the Willis Tower transformation was to create an all-season, urban destination that brings the surrounding community together and celebrates this city within a city,” said David Moore, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Director, EQ. “The new Willis Tower captures the vibrancy and diversity of Chicago under one roof which has allowed us to attract over 3 million square feet of space commitments from companies seeking to tap into the magic we have created.”

“Design is not just a beauty contest,” said Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “It’s something that can change the world and create solutions in a time when we face pressing global issues such as systemic racism, climate change, and a global pandemic. Many of these entries showcase these challenges while providing hope for the future through their steadfast commitment to elevate design.”

Honorees for the 2021 awards were selected in the following categories: Apps and Games; Cities; Data Design; Design Company of the Year; Experimental; Fashion and Beauty; Finance; General Excellence; Graphic Design; Health; Home; Learning; Mobility; Packaging; Products; Retail Innovation; Social Good; Spaces and Places; Sports and Recreation; Students; Sustainability; User Experience; Wellness; Workplace; Best Design Asia-Pacific; Best Design Europe, Best Design Middle East, and Best Design Africa; Best Design Latin America; and Best Design North America. New categories included Advertising, Branding, Impact, Materials, Pandemic Response, Real Estate, and Years in Business.

The judges include renowned designers from a variety of disciplines, business leaders from some of the most innovative companies in the world, and Fast Company’s own writers and editors. Entries are judged on the key ingredients of innovation: functionality, originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, cultural impact, and business impact. 

Winners, finalists, and honorable mentions are featured online and in the October issue of Fast Company magazine, on newsstands September 28, 2021. 

To see the complete list, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/innovation-by-design/2021.

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at fastcompany.com.

ABOUT EQ OFFICE EQ focuses on the experience of its 31 million square feet – how space feels, activates and performs to amplify the human experience. We're proud to work hand-in-hand with more than 1,500 customers of all sizes, from Fortune 100 companies to emerging startups, to bring humanity back to the workplace. Our diverse team of 200+ professionals is responsible for creating inspired office environments in major cities across the country including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. As a U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone's real estate funds, we have the resources to lead the changes happening in workspace. Explore your space for greatness at www.eqoffice.com.

ABOUT WILLIS TOWER Located at 233 S. Wacker Drive in the heart of downtown Chicago, Willis Tower is an urban destination and state-of-the-art workplace that welcomes prominent businesses ranging from law firms to large airline corporations to insurance companies. Standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall, Willis Tower has the region's most breathtaking views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Willis Tower's Skydeck attracts more than 1.7 million visitors each year with its inviting hospitality and memorable experiences. In early 2017, Blackstone and EQ Office announced plans for the biggest restorative transformation project in the building's 47-year history. The $500 million renovation project now underway includes the addition of Catalog, a more than 300,000 square-feet curated dining, entertainment and community experience, as well as a 30,000 square-feet outdoor deck and garden, evolving at the base of the tower. The Catalog name is a historical nod to Willis Tower's original developer and owner, Sears Roebuck, and its popular printed catalog, which was a retail disrupter of its age. Catalog offers an effective way to experience great content, products and experiences. New tenants are now opening in Catalog, and this will continue through its completion in 2021. The Tower renovation also includes 150,000 square feet of new tenant amenity spaces. As part of the renovation, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded Willis Tower the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification for energy efficiency upgrades made throughout the Tower. Willis Tower was also recently named one of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's (CTBUH) 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years and to the Illinois Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Illinois' 200 Great Places list. For more information, visit www.WillisTower.com and connect on Facebook and Instagram.