This month our project for Polaris HQ is highlighted in the latest issue of Archello. Founded in Roseau, Minnesota, in 1954, Polaris Inc. manufactures motorcycles, snowmobiles, ATVs, and neighborhood electric vehicles. Since its inception, Polaris has risen to prominence as the premier manufacturer of outdoor motorsport vehicles in the United States. With over 400 employees to date, the company sought the expertise of global architecture, design, and strategy firm NELSON Worldwide.

Having worked with NELSON on office renovations across the country, Polaris tapped the firm to reconceptualize their headquarters and create a space that hones employee well-being, elevates brand identity, and emphasizes company culture. The office includes upgraded workspaces, a showroom experience, a branded cafeteria, and a retail store. Located in Medina, Minnesota, the 124,528 square-foot facility will showcase all 30 brands under the Polaris umbrella. Read more here.

This month our project for Two22 Tower is highlighted in the latest issue of Archello. Downtown Minneapolis is in the midst of a building repositioning boom—a total of eight towers have remodeled their lobbies to meet the new demands of today’s workforce, with Two22 being the most recent to undergo a renovation. Following the commercial building’s sale to Lingerfelt CommonWealth Partners, the former Campbell Mithun Tower was rebranded as Two22 with the new owners looking to invest in the building offering future-forward amenities to attract new tenants.

NELSON Worldwide was selected for the extensive renovation to transform the first and second floor and to create a unique and uniform building experience throughout the tower. To differentiate the building from those nearby, NELSON Worldwide used its building repositioning experience to upgrade the main entry, first floor and second floor atrium, tenant amenity lounge, conference center, building management office, elevator lobbies, fitness center, coffee shop, full service restaurant and bar, retail spaces, and marketing suite. Read more here.

Chad Smith is Vice President of Product Strategy at iOFFICE and Lorri Strasser is Vice President of Global Solutions at NELSON Worldwide. On May 12, 2020, Mike Petrusky hosted a live webinar broadcast called “Design a Safer Workplace with Appropriate Physical Distancing” where Chad and Lori shared a vision of the strategies and technologies that will allow organizations to plan an effective return to the workplace during the COVID-19 global pandemic. During this webinar, Chad shared ways to leverage new and upcoming functionality from iOFFICE to enhance your workplace experience in these changing times including a new physical distancing tool called Space-Right™. Lori explained what she is hearing from clients about the top considerations when planning a return to the office for your workforce.

For years, the private office has been rumored to be on its way out—an outdated symbol of hierarchy incompatible with today’s flexible work expectations. But the reality we’re seeing inside financial institutions tells a more nuanced story.

The private office isn’t dead. It’s evolving.

At NELSON Worldwide, our recent work with a range of financial organizations—from boutique wealth managers to multinational banks—reveals a clear shift. Companies aren’t abandoning the private office; they’re rethinking its purpose, placement, and performance. And in doing so, they’re aligning physical space with strategic priorities like talent attraction, operational agility, and culture-building.

Three Models, One Goal: Strategic Alignment

Across hundreds of thousands of square feet of workplace strategy and design, three distinct private office models are emerging:

1. Traditional: The Legacy Stronghold

Corner offices with custom furniture, panoramic views, and generous square footage still exist—but primarily where individual achievement and hierarchical recognition are central to the firm’s DNA. These are most often found in boutique wealth management firms, where personal preference often shapes the space more than policy. When done right, these environments feel prestigious, not antiquated.

2. Adapted: Democratizing Light, Preserving Leadership

Larger institutions are rebalancing. At several major firms, up to 100% of private offices have been moved to the interior of the floor plan. This bold shift reclaims window lines for shared spaces and common lounges, making daylight and views available to everyone—not just the C-suite. The private office remains a valuable tool for heads-down work or sensitive conversations, but its location and footprint signal a broader cultural shift: one that values collaboration and equity without eliminating privacy.

3. Progressive: The Status Symbol Is Flexibility

Some of the most forward-thinking banks have replaced the private office altogether with bookable focus rooms and multi-use spaces. Designed with premium acoustics, lighting, and tech, these spaces support hybrid work habits and real-time space optimization. Flexibility becomes the new executive privilege—something all employees can access when needed. For organizations that can support this model with strong change management, the payoff is significant: more dynamic teams, more efficient footprints, and a culture that says adaptability is leadership.

Which Model is Right for You?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Each model is valid, but only one will align best with your firm’s values, structure, and vision for the future. Our recommendation? Pilot programs. Test what works before scaling. Let data and feedback shape the next generation of private offices within your portfolio. Because at the end of the day, private offices aren’t just about space. They’re about signaling what—and who—your company values.

The private office isn’t over. It’s being redesigned to perform.