Since Blue Cross Blue Shield was founded in Dallas in 1929, it made sense to company leaders that the city’s Historic West End would serve as a launching point for their firm’s future. Hence, the C1 Innovation Lab — located in a 114-year-old former cracker and candy manufacturing building — is ground zero for outside-of-the-box company problem-solving.
Take a visual tour below, and read more about how the C1 Innovation Lab landed in Dallas’ Historic West End here.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield C1 Innovation center takes two floors in Granite’s Factory Six03 — the 114-year-old former site of the Brown Cracker & Candy Co.
Visitors, collaborators and employees readily see a timeline that displays the building’s history.
Blue Cross Blue Shield honored the “building’s DNA” in the innovation space’s design, which includes exposed brick, original flooring and plenty of open space for collaboration.
Granite Properties developed the former Brown Candy & Cracker Co. building — now called Factory Six03 — with the intention of attracting younger, creative thinkers.
Welcome to the C1 Innovation Lab
A light display greets visitors with changing color.
Summer Wright Collins, Blue Cross Blue Shield divisional vice president of design and innovation, led the tour of the C1 Innovation Lab.
C1 offers a mix of collaboration space and private areas
A central point, located at the center of the C1 Innovation Lab, serves as gathering space for regular team meetings, where individuals can discuss what they’re working on. Other areas offer a mix of private and open working conditions.
Individual workspaces are designed for ergonomics
Space is designed to inspire creativity and collaboration
Common areas offer a place to relax
[Photos: Dallas Innovates]
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Lessons from high-growth companies.
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Dallas' C1 Innovation Lab, operated by Health Care Services Corporation (which owns Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas), has entered into a collaboration with early-stage investor Capital Factory to help Texas entrepreneurs explore, address, and pilot solutions that serve BCBSTX members. The end goal is to engage with new technologies and local entrepreneurs on the cutting edge of healthcare innovation.
