The Foundation Architects Designs New Brewery

The Foundation Architects recently completed a project for Badger Hill Brewing Company.

One of the new endeavors that we’re seeing more of are microbreweries. They have unique needs from the perspective of space use. Often there are two distinct areas. One for brewing beer and another for serving beer. Each must address things such as seating, equipment and movement.

Another part of the design process is consideration of mechanical and utility elements. For a brewpub that incorporates tour groups another layer of safety and presentation must be incorporated.

For Badger Hill the work also included coordination with the local authorities to gain proper permits. Of course the end result is what we’re most interested in—great beer!

Be sure to stop in and try their really good stout beer named Foundation. Coincidence?


The before photos by Brian Kaufenberg for The Growler Magazine.

The after photos by Aaron Davidson for The Growler Magazine.

Local NHL Couple Develop Event Center with The Foundation Architects

A project that has been in the works for a few years came to light in a Star Tribune article yesterday. The client is local couple Jamie and Jordan Leopold. Their vision is for a wedding-focused event center in a visually appealing spot. After a few site reviews and initial discussions with local municipalities a spot along the Mississippi River in Brooklyn Park has been selected.

Many projects draw community interest, but this project has garnered more than typical attention because of the purpose (event center), location (along the river) and ownership group. Leopold's are a NHL family, Jordan plays defenseman for the St. Louis Blues. Born in Golden Valley and a U of M alumni the local ties run deep. Jamie, in a presentation to the planning commission noted that the capacity of just over 300 makes it a great wedding reception spot. Access to the river flats for a unique ceremony will add to the attractiveness of the event center.

The one-story building at 9510 West River Road (where 610 crosses the Mississippi) includes an expansive deck with views of the river and a defining tower to provide wayfinding to guests.

Read the Star Tribune article.

Creative Work Spaces

              IDEO's rooftop deck. Photo courtesy of Dwell and Studio Magazine

Recently, the Auckland, New Zealand-based Studio Magazine profiled some of the most creative workspaces in Chicago after one of the magazine's editors and founders, Zoe Ikin, spent some time working in the Windy City. "Chicago had all of these great industrial offices—there was no shortage of light, lofty spaces to visit," Ikin told Patrick Sisson of Dwell.

One such spot was the creative space of IDEO, an international design and innovation consulting firm. The front desk area of the loft space feels creative and airy, and the rooftop deck (pictured above), designed by architectural firm Perkins+Will, is perfect for collaborating—or downward dogs.

See more creative work spaces as profiled in Studio Magazine and Dwell.

View inspired work by The Foundation. 

Recycle This

Sustainability and green design is an industry standard for LEED-certified The Foundation Architects. Smartly designed and sourced products play a role in giving a project a green boost. Here’s a look at one of our favorites.

FLOR Carpet Squares

Renewable and recycled, FLOR carpet design squares are customized for rugs, runners and wall-to-wall carpeting. FLORdots link the carpet squares together—no glue or nails are used. FLOR squares have very low Volatile Organic Compound emissions (VOCs), which helps you breathe easier. And when you’re done with your rug, send it back to FLOR to be recycled. The possibilities are endless.

Excellence Delivered

Amma Parenting Center in Edina is a one-stop shop that offers classes, support groups and baby products for new and expectant parents. However, in its previous life, the space housed an insurance company. Thanks to The Foundation Architects, this former office space is now a space for engagement and education.

To better utilize the space, The Foundation Architects added another classroom to turn it into a three-classroom center, decreased office space in order to expand the retail area, and incorporated Amma’s brand into the architecture by making a customized desk in the reception/cashier area with the company’s logo. The center exudes a friendly, calm and cheerful vibe—exactly what the doctor ordered.

The design incorporates Amma's logo and brand.


Amma Parenting Center provides a colorful and fun retail experience.

Finish and color selections enhance the friendly feel of the space.

 View more spaces designed by The Foundation.

Interior-Design Trends: Color of the Year

Pantone Color Institute™ announced Radiant Orchid as the 2014 Color of the Year in December 2013. It’s a great fit with some of the biggest interior design trends of 2014, namely that we’re seeing a decline in muted neutrals and an increase in rich, saturated tones.

The idea of a “neutral tone” has been elevated. For example, many may think of the color beige as a neutral but may ignore that a color like navy blue can really shine as a neutral foundation to build a space around.

Sherwin Williams regularly assembles its trend forecast. Note the rich plums and peacock blue in the Curiosity collection and the vividly bright hues of the Intrinsic collection. What colors are calling to you?

The Foundation Architects prides itself on finding unique solutions for each individual client. This sometimes translates into enthusiastically embracing trend reports for some projects while choosing something other than the newest and latest for others.

If you’re interested in a thoughtful consultation about a project that's creative and efficient and also realizes your personal vision, let’s keep the conversation going: call Bob at 612.340.5430 or email at bob@foundationarch.com.

View inspired work by The Foundation.

High-Design Privacy

We recently discussed how intuitive architecture is designed to divide buildings and spaces into zones that provide cues and invite comfort.

Another important aspect of design is privacy. Let’s examine a few projects completed by The Foundation that strike a great balance between privacy and engagement:

The Foundation Architects remodeled the CBS Radio in Minneapolis. We integrated windows with glass of varying degrees of transparency and opaqueness to open up some areas and create privacy without isolation in others. 

The newsroom of the studio (pictured above), once completely hidden, is now visible from the lobby to showcase the hub of this busy radio station. Colored glass panels combined with reeded glass obscure the view from the hallway to create privacy in the new green room (pictured below) for visiting celebrities.

Take a look at our project for Siverson Dental:

Each treatment area feels private but also feels connected to the whole clinic, so patients don’t feel isolated.

This hygiene area of Lakeland Family Dental (above) also provides privacy without feeling too enclosed.

The independent screened appointment desks at Smile Designers are a stylish approach to providing added comfort and privacy for patients.

View other unique solutions from The Foundation Architects' commercial architecture portfolio.

Comfort Zones

Intuitive architecture is designed to divide buildings and spaces into zones. These segments of space provide clues, usually unconsciously, as to the purpose of the areas and space around you.

For example, when you enter a typical home, you’re greeted by an entryway or vestibule with a lower ceiling. Lower ceilings have a cozier effect on us, so an entryway becomes more inviting. We feel welcome. Additional design clues define spaces, like in this rambler transformation:

The columns and arches divide the space subtly and create pathways between them. 

You might not even recognize it, but when these zones don’t exist, it creates discomfort. The Foundation Architects had a unique challenge when renovating Lakeland Family Dental. The scale of the building and its orientation with the parking lot and entrance had the potential to be offputting and daunting—definitely undesirable characteristics for a clinic that aims to be welcoming to patients. The building was essentially oriented in reverse of what we would expect based on its position to the main road and parking lot.

Solution: We integrated clues to lead to the entryway, like the low wall in the front of the building so visitors easily relate to the space.

Distinct rooflines were added to the existing building. The modern,  eye-catching canopy over the front door brings the entrance down to scale, and then the open entryway guides patients in and out of the clinic while connecting the exterior and the interior with a defining concrete wall and signage, as shown below:

View more details about the project.

Creating Connections at Lakeland Family Dental

Lakeland Family Dental was renovated with a new entrance, signage and clean, modern concrete details that add scale and personality.

A simple, modern reception area is business efficient, yet the warm materials and finishes are inviting to patients.

The open entryway guides patients in and out of the clinic while connecting the exterior and the interior with a defining concrete wall and signage.

State-of-the-art dental equipment is a necessity for progressive clinics like Lakeland Family Dental.

Smart additions like the pictured alcove and details like color and texture help integrate the technology and keep the equipment from looking or feeling too imposing.

Details like the board-formed concrete and the glass inset in the doors add personality and enhance the clinic environment. Unique details like this have a calming effect. Learn more about incorporating design that makes commercial spaces feel more inviting.

A unique challenge with this project was that the parking lot was oriented in a strange position to the building. Read about our unique solution that helps visitors connect to the entryway and feel welcome at Lakeland Family Dental.

Architects: The Foundation Architects 
Interior Design: Bob Shaffer
General Contractor: Heritage Construction Companies LLC 
Dental Equipment: Henry Schein Dental

Inspiring Interaction with Design

The building that now serves as the space for digital marketing agency IdeaPark is in a large colonial warehouse built in 1890. The space had been used by an insurance company and other retail. It was a great space, but it wasn’t being utilized to its full capacity.

Light boxes and dark finishes juxtaposed to create a welcoming entry.

The Foundation Architects approached the remodel based on the flow of ideas, which is nonlinear. The building was gutted; walls were removed. The space was reconfigured with the introduction of curved walls and other on-brand shapes that mimicked nature—like smooth, flowing hills and clouds.

Every detail reinforces the IdeaPark brand. Most office areas have natural light and feature a view of the outdoors. Smart planning created more retail space, which increases the business’s profit potential.

Brainstorming with efficiency.

Break rooms also can be additional collaboration areas when designed creatively.

Even the corridors are fun in this space.

The space was redesigned for its current culture and function. The result is lively, fun atmosphere where creativity flows freely—a space branded for what they do—who they are.

Architects: The Foundation Architects 
Interior Design: Bob Shaffer

Reinforcing Brand with Every Detail

The Foundation takes a consultative approach to commercial client projects. The fundamental goal of designing a space is to ensure it’s both aesthetically and functionally ideal for its use. In addition, the design should reinforce brand.

As consumers, we size up a brand and even make purchasing decisions based on visual cues. A company’s brand should be reinforced throughout its space. The Foundation Architects has helped some fantastic clients integrate their brand within their space:

Moss Optical

The shop's logo is expanded to pop-art size to draw attention to the unique eyeglass frames, creating a unique retail environment.

Amber Leaf Dental

The renovation of Amber Leaf Dental incorporated many details like an engraved sign and tones and textures found in nature that personalize the clinic to help reinforce the brand.

i ware

Shapes, forms, voids and color form the retail space and displays of this edgy yet comfortable optical shop—right on point with this modern brand.

A brand can be reinforced with very obvious choices—like duplicating the colors in a brand’s logo throughout their space—or with more subtle cues, like textures that reflect the tone of a brand. The next time you’re in a commercial space, look around you: how do you feel about the design choices made and how they reflect the business’s brand and image?

The Foundation Architects-Designed CBS Radio Office Featured in Cambria Catalog

We were proud to have our CBS Radio project featured in the Corporate section of the 2013 Cambria Catalog. We worked with Cambria quartz but took it beyond countertops, using it on the walls and trim in the hallways of CBS Radio.

We chose Cambria because of its durability for a high-traffic area, its versatility and its ease of maintenance. Check out page 16 and 17 of the catalog to see detailed photos of the CBS Radio lobby and to read a quote from our own Bob Shaffer.

New Vikings Stadium Design to Use ETFE Polymer

After years of speculation and waiting, Minnesota Vikings fans finally received a visual idea of what their new football stadium will look like when the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) released a concept video yesterday.

The design is bold and innovative. Especially notable is the set of enormous pivoting glass doors that will be the largest of their kind in the world. Also, according to the press release, the stadium will feature the largest ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof in the world and the first on a stadium in the nation.

Why is this newsworthy? Besides being heavily resistant to the elements, ETFE can be transparent. The Vikings' new stadium will have a clear roof, allowing for a connection to the outdoors while keeping the snow out. The slant to the design will allow snow and rain to slide off while providing a clean view of the sky. In other words, there won't be any more viral videos circulating of the Metrodome's roof collapsing from snow buildup.

The innovative roof will also provide a natural heating system as sunlight is able to enter during winter months. During warmer weather, the building's energy system will push down the warm air and let it ventilate through the roof.

Do you like the new design? What do you think of the decision to use the ETFE polymer? Add your thoughts in the comment section below.

Foundation Architects Recently Published in Finance and Commerce Magazine

Innovative design of long-time WCCO Radio home

The Foundation Architects project at CBS radio described in the Finance and Commerce Magazine article “Foundation Architects leaves its mark on CBS Radio building” by Brian Johnson.

CBS Radio was looking for a fresh update for their lobby, newsroom and studios. The landmark offices house WCCO 830AM, 102.9 LiteFM, 104.1 JackFM and others. The Foundation Architects worked with CBS Radio to strike a balance in their new central studio area between what is seen and heard. The design hides much of the technical equipment while revealing celebrity, personality and credibility.

Staff, advertisers and guests appreciate the natural light that creates a more welcoming atmosphere. The lobby, newsroom, studios and guest green room were updated to mirror the energy of a continuous broadcast taking place behind the microphone.

Take a photo tour of this project.

Office Remodeled by The Foundation Set for National Television Commercial

In December of 2006, the Adsoka office turned into the set of a national television commercial for a major communications company. The office’s urban design was noted by the director as the perfect backdrop for the client’s vision when requesting use of the office.