But inside are unexpected touches. The main interior colors are grape, melon and lime. Natural light streams through the numerous windows and light wells. Mobiles hang from ceilings. Many work areas are airy and open.
Some desks are on wheels so workers can quickly create a pod to work on a project.
Each has a different theme. These rooms cannot be scheduled for meetings, said the UMB executives. Instead, employees are encouraged to pop in spontaneously to solve a dispute or think through a problem. When a problem is transferred to a fun room, they explained, the problem tends to be solved faster and more amicably. For example, Bank of America, formerly NationsBank, is moving its headquarters to One Kansas City Place, and its back-office operation is moving north of the Missouri River.