Allianz Global Assistance

Allianz Global Assistance

Address:  9950 Mayland Drive, Henrico County

Business:  Travel and other specialty insurance

Renovation: 320,000 square feet

On-site employees: 900

Interior design: Evolve Architecture

Design goals/amenities: Allianz renovated the former vacant headquarters of the now defunct Circuit City Stores into its North American corporate headquarters. Down came drab gray paint and up went colorful two-tone combinations for each floor.

Each of the five floors is named for a continent, an appropriate touch since Allianz sells travel insurance around the world. The colors are representative of each continent’s cultures and help employees find their way around. A huge aluminum globe on a curved drive outside the main entrance sets the tone for the international feel throughout the space.

“There’s a big push for branding. Something that tells you what a company does,” says Randy Blankenship, a principal with Evolve Architecture in Richmond.

The transformation into a light, bright collaborative space came with lots of employee goodies. There’s a Starbucks off the lobby and full-service cafeteria with a chef who changes the menu monthly. Employees can try out an adjustable-height desk in the coffee café area, or just take a break under a dramatic glass-ceiling atrium adorned with fabric sculptures that resemble kites.

Also on the first floor is a fitness center with custom-made screens of faraway places. A terrace with red umbrellas allows for outside dining.  There’s plenty of green space and walking trails for a mid-day exercise break.

On the upper floors, Allianz offers wellness rooms, appreciated by nursing mothers. Large, open spaces with mobile furniture accommodate the company’s call center area.

Allianz is open 24-7, with employees working in shifts. No matter the hour, they can always grab a cup of coffee, brewed from fresh beans, in their break rooms.