Schaeffler USA is a leading manufacturer of bearings worldwide and a renowned supplier to the automotive industry. LS3P designed a new 3-level North American headquarters building for their existing multi-building campus, a manufacturing plant expansion, and a new campus entry. The new 64,183 SF office building is strategically sited to relate to the existing office building. The top two levels feature open offices, conference rooms, and employee break rooms. The first level contains a 6,300 SF dining and servery area that opens onto a landscaped plaza for outdoor dining and respite, overlooking a natural wooded area and lake views. The lowest level also features a 2,200 SF training room that can be subdivided into three separate smaller rooms.

The 34,739 SF expansion of Plant 3 adds manufacturing capacity for stamping, heat treatment, and assembly for thrust bearings used in 8-, 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions. The plant expansion also includes space for raw materials storage, manufacturing, office, conference, breakroom, and new loading docks.

The materials palette for the office building consists of precast concrete panels, curtainwall and storefront glazing and metal panels. The predominant building volume is precast concrete with ribbon windows, while a metal panel cladding creates the spine of the building, defining the core functions and providing screening for the roof top mechanical equipment. As a defining feature of the building, a cantilevered precast volume with a large expanse of curtainwall glazing appears to float above the plaza below.