A Look Inside Gardner Builders’ New Minneapolis Office

Michal
Real estate
6 months ago

Hospitality company Gardner Builders hired architecture and interior design firm Studio BV to design their new office expansion in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“The Gardner team is focused on partnerships and passion for the work they do. The new design of the office feels welcoming and warm to the team and to their partners. They can entertain and gather with large groups just from their entry space in a refined bar and gaming area. That space connects to a fireplace lounge space, their entry and some large meeting rooms. The meeting rooms are meant to support different meeting styles.

“The work space is designed to support neighborhoods and teams,” said Betsy Vohs, Studio BV Founder and CEO. “There are collaborative lounge areas, focus rooms and flexible meeting spaces in each neighborhood.”

The teams are able to do their best work within reach of their teams. This makes their workflow much better. Custom elements we designed for their teams included. A collaborative material and submittal island that can be a reference and anchor for project production. That is focused near the project assistants that manage workflow on projects.

The marketing team got an ideation room. This room has inspirational materials like books, art and plants that set the tone for creating new cultural rituals and marketing pitches for new business. That room has a custom installation of plants that makes it a whimsical space and a place that fosters new thinking. That room is a place for making ideas. Pin up space, white boards but no media.

The table is tiered and has different heights for teams to work together in different postures and move throughout the room in ideation sessions.

The quiet lounge has some of the nicest views of the city. This zone is for heads down work to support teams as they need to focus. Teams can close a door in a focus room or hide out in a high back lounge chair and work at the windows. The idea of choice is empowering for teams. The teams move daily to space that supports their work.

One of the most important components of the new space is a large gathering room for 30 people. The teams at Gardner Builders have grown. Teams need to do work plans and meet in sessions that are often 20 or more. This room was designed to support that as well as training sessions for teams both here or at other locations around the country.

The spaces reflect a feeling of comfort and detail that is often overlooked and missing from commercial office spaces and especially ones in the construction business.

The art and accessories for each space were selected specifically for that area and to speak to the teams. The work on the walls reflects local and national artists as well as work from the Gardner Team.

Overall the space is unlike any other construction company. It’s soft, it’s layered and it’s designed to support how teams work together.”