Since last time, I have done quite a bit of research to narrow down my location and program. I decided to locate my office to be a planning commission firm in Willis Tower (Sears Tower) on the 7th floor, based on the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning which is located on the 8th floor of Willis Tower. I have made a basic plan of an available suite in Willis Tower, and a basic plan of the Nashville Civic Design Center to get a basic layout of how planning commission firms were organized.

I've looked at different precedents to see how they create office spaces that integrate the building facade and space to improve employee productivity, health, job satisfaction, and collaboration. In this research I've found the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture office (located in Doha, Qatar) which uses biomimicry to make the integration of facade and space more responsive to the environment and to the employees.

(from http://www.designboom.com/architecture/aesthetics-architects-go-group-minister-of-municipal-affairs-agriculture-building-doha-qatar/)

Skygrove (New York, NY) focuses on how each floor can be responsive and self-sufficient.

(from http://ny.curbed.com/tags/skygrove)

NOAA's Pacific Regional Center (Pearl Harbor, Hawaii) focuses on how a space can be responsive and more productive for the employees.

(from http://www.hok.com/design/type/government/national-oceanic-and-atmospheric-administration-noaa/)

Next I will look at the different systems and processes in the ecosystem around the north United States/Illinois area.