A burgeoning company was adding new employees at a rapid rate. They needed more room to accommodate the growth and, more importantly, to instill their long-standing company culture in a new generation of people. This company was special in its unique emphasis on the special value of each of their employees; they wanted everyone to see themselves as a leader in one way or another. We endeavored to embody that corporate ethos in the architecture of the place.
Project Highlights
Size: 44,000 sq. ft.
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Timeline: On Hold
Typologies: Commercial Architecture - New Addition - Sustainable Design - Assembly
Business Overhead Is a Well Designed Roof
The existing corporate headquarters building had been originally designed to accommodate additional floors in the future. So the logical direction for our expansion was not out but up. Adding on top meant building a new roo and it was only natural that this roof both complement the building and speak to the company’s unique culture. A structural innovation from the WWII era provided the perfect inspiration. The lamella roof is made up entirely of short 2x lumber interwoven and connected in such a way as to be able to form long-span structures. The concept of individual pieces coming together to cover great distances was a most apt metaphor for this company’s approach to their valued people. And also made for a simple but beautiful cap to an otherwise banal building.
Similar to the roof, the interior layout was meant to reflect company values. While the original program of small, medium and large meeting spaces suggested a compartmentalized floor plan, we thought the better option was to make the rooms as flexible and open as possible. We incorporated moveable partitions where appropriate and made sure all rooms entered off of shared communal space. The main shared space started out in early sketches as a wide hallway but ended up as a sunlit atrium with views towards the downtown skyline.
