A new center for connection and performance

JPMorganChase’s global headquarters at 270 Park Avenue, designed by Foster + Partners, is a landmark addition to the New York City skyline. Just above the building’s spacious lobby, eight expansive trading floors designed by SOM are purpose-built for the pace, precision, and collaboration of finance in the digital era. Designed to accommodate approximately 4,000 traders across 500,000 square feet, the trading floors are configured in a way that is entirely new. Organized into a series of two-story suites, each line of business is anchored by a double-height atrium that unites the teams across levels. These atria house work cafés, interconnecting stairs, and central conferencing areas—creating vertical “neighborhoods” that provide a variety of spaces and encourage people to meet throughout the day. Smaller meeting rooms and planted café areas line the perimeter, giving access to daylight, views, and opportunities for restoration.

“Our goal was to create a trading environment that supports both the focus and collaboration inherent in the work,” said Ece Calguner Erzan, Interior Design Principal. “By creating suites with shared amenities and integrating their layout within the structural logic of the tower, we were able to design spaces that are both highly functional and deeply connected to the building’s overall identity.”

Reinventing the trading floor

In contrast to the enclosed, inward-facing trading floors of the past, 270 Park Avenue creates an open, interconnected network of trading neighborhoods. Together, the eight floors form an integrated workplace at the core of the global headquarters. Every aspect of the design, from the arrival experience to individual workstations, supports flexibility, efficiency, and well-being.

Each floor’s large, open work environment is designed to balance the intensity of trading with areas for focus and privacy. A variety of spaces, from small huddle rooms to larger conferencing areas, facilitate both quiet work and collaboration beside the open environment. Custom-designed desks—developed in close collaboration with UniFor—solve for both ergonomics and sight line challenges. Designed for efficiency, the sit-stand desks are cantilevered and purpose-built, keeping only what traders need within immediate reach. Their careful geometry maintains clear sight lines over adjacent work points and toward perimeter windows, ensuring access to daylight and visual connection across the floor. Integrated digital technology delivers instant access to information throughout the trading environment.

Performance meets wellness

To support a holistic and forward-looking approach to well-being, JPMorganChase engaged a team of leaders in wellness, hospitality, and building science—including Dr. Joseph Allen, Director of Harvard University’s Healthy Buildings program, wellness expert Deepak Chopra, and restaurateur Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group. Their guidance informed the building’s design from its earliest stages, shaping an environment that balances high performance with mindfulness, restoration, and a hospitality-caliber user experience.

On the trading floors, the arrival experience is highlighted by natural materials, textures, and live plants—creating a warm transition to and from each work area. At the center of each two-story suite, a café anchors daily activity—offering space to step away from the desk, meet informally, or host events. Perched above, two boardrooms provide large meeting spaces with views across the trading floors and out to Park Avenue. Along 47th and 48th Streets, perimeter cafés provide quiet places to pause and recharge while taking in views of the city. Ceilings with integrated circadian lighting bring simulated daylight deep into the floors, and finely tuned acoustics contribute to a healthy, comfortable workspace throughout the day.

A singular vision for the future of work

SOM’s design for JPMorganChase’s trading floors reflects a singular vision for the high-performance workplace that brings together community, technology, health, security, and collaboration. Every element—from spatial organization and material selection to the integration of digital infrastructure—is designed to promote human connection and operational excellence in equal measure. The result is an environment that is adaptable, connected, and supportive of the people who drive the firm’s success, setting a new benchmark for the modern trading floor.