Whitebox Advisors

A Clean Framework Supporting Client Services

Whitebox Advisor’s workplace reflects the clean lines of its brand and logo—a solid white square within a white box on a black background. When the asset management company considered options for a new and expanded office, it first looked at other buildings before choosing the top floor of its existing location, a five-story commercial building overlooking Lake Bde Maka Ska south of downtown Minneapolis.

This decision afforded Whitebox a fresh start and reimagination of their traditional workspace since their founding in 1999, providing a nimbler layout and progressive urban aesthetic—a blank box that supports their core client services.

Occupying half the 5th floor overlooking the lake, plus a portion across the hall facing the street, the workplace expresses basic business functions and the need for client privacy within a spare setting.

The 8,700 square-foot layout includes formal client conference rooms with electric opaquing privacy glass and video conferencing/presentation capabilities; mostly open work areas; a trading floor with multi-monitor workstations; shared enclosed and open common spaces for collaborative team meetings; lounge seating overlooking the lake; employee juice bar; and full café across the hall.

The front door, a solid white plane in a black frame, was designed for visual privacy and leads to the workspace for 54 people, where high-gloss finishes contrast with polished-concrete floors and exposed ceiling trusses. The nearly monochromatic workplace is enlivened by the energy of the people within and the glow of numerous monitors throughout.

Finishes feature a honed marble table top in the conference room and stretched-membrane ceiling secured in a black frame; felt ceiling baffles for acoustic control and integrated linear lighting throughout; warm gray-upholstered lounge seating; locally sourced pendant light fixtures; and a series of clocks across a textured backdrop representing their global offices in Texas, New York, London, and Australia.

Since opening in 2020, this prototype design has been well received by clients and employees and has served as a template for other remodels, including the Austin, Texas, office.