Better Home and Gadget

New home product development continues unabated. One spark of new products is at the intersection of energy saving and DIY. Another innovation leap-off point is leveraging smartphones. In short, there are a bevy of new products that are fun, smart and worthy of a few moments consideration.

Do It Yourself Air Conditioning
It is summertime in Minnesota. Some love to live with open windows and the natural breeze. Others enjoy keeping the temperature at very cold wintery levels. Either way, take a look at this air conditioner that can be made for $15. It uses a Coleman Cooler, check it out!

A Thermostat That Learns
This product from nest, a thermostat that learns, works based on your use and adapts to more efficient heating and cooling patterns. You use it like any thermostat when you are at home. You can also program it from your smartphone. So, if you are going to be away for an extra day you can adjust the temperature to conserve energy.

Grill or Planter?
This innovative product makes grilling time fun, and the time between beautiful. Available from Black+Blum, the hot pot, doubles as herb garden and grill. Grow basil in the grill's top and then use it on your grilled vegetables--it couldn't be any fresher.

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. 

Two People Walk into a Bar

Restaurants, bars and cafés are where we go to connect and celebrate with friends. And architecture plays a role in these connections. Recently, the American Institute of Architects celebrated these connections at the video competition Videotect 4: Two People Walk into a Bar at the Walker Art Center.

Want to see which videos won the Grand Prize, Honorable Mention and Viewers' Choice awards?  Go here. The Grand Prize-winning video will be shown at the 2014 MSP International Film Festival in April.

Architecture Minnesota, the award-winning magazine of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Minnesota, puts on Videotect, an annual video competition that invites people to create short videos focused on various design themes. The yearly contest has featured such themes as sustainable transportation and the skyway’s influence on urban life.

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.

Medal-Worthy Architecture

Long after Olympic athletes return to their home countries, the buildings that housed them and their sports stand as a reminder to the inhabitants and tourists to the host city. Whether those structures (stadiums, sports complexes and living quarters) are viewed in a positive light depends much on their look and use in the years to come. Here’s a look at some notable structures from past Olympics.

Canada House

Photo courtesy City Caucus via Flickr

Designed by Vancouver’s most renowned architect Arthur Erickson, Canada House was home to the Canadian men’s hockey team during the 2010 Olympics. Two years after the games ended, the units in the building sold for $1.3 to $6 million. The building looks nothing like the others around it with its angled balconies and zigzagged metal panels. Reflected light on the building turns it gold at times.

Montjuïc Municipal Pool

The Barcelona pool was the stage for the diving and water polo events at the 1992 summer Olympics. Originally built in 1929, this public pool has captivated locals and visitors alike with its stunning panoramic view of the city for almost a century. Scott Manson from the Guardian calls it “the world’s best swimming pool”. Its rock star location wowed Kylie Minogue who used the pool as the setting for a recent music video.


 Laoshan Velodrome

Photo courtesy Flickr

Designed by Schuermann Architects for the 2008 winter games in Beijing, the Laoshan Velodrome hosts national and international cycling competitions—and fencing competitions—today. With its striking dome-shaped roof, this multifunctional structure is also aesthetically pleasing.

Let’s keep the conversation going! What are some of your favorite (and least favorite) Olympic structures? We’d love to hear from you.

Best New Products

Great architecture stands the test of time and passing trends—and that holds true with interior design elements as well. Interior Design magazine announced its favorite new products from 2013. 

Which products do you believe will turn into classics?

Here are some of our favorite new products: 

Jeremy Cole Flax Chandelier
Made from 350 handcrafted porcelain ceramic leaves arranged for even light distribution. Learn more.

J.B. Schmetterling Pendant Light
A halogen light source is suspended in the middle of a mouth-blown glass bulb form surrounded by eight intricately handmade insects. Learn more. 

Rakks Shelving, Pole Mounted Systems
A modern design perfect for both residential and commercial use. Learn more. 

View the entire list of products. Feel like they left something off the list? Be sure and connect with us on Facebook to let us know your thoughts.

A Deck to Infinity

The addition of a high-design deck can greatly improve the aesthetics of the house—especially in the back where many homes lack architectural interest. It also extends a family’s livable space, which makes it great for entertaining and taking advantage of fine weather.

This deck is constructed from Red Cumaru—a sustainable tropical hardwood with great durability and weathering properties. The structure is a mixture of Parallam® beams—a proprietary product made from strands of wood from farmed trees glued together with a resin to render it structurally stronger than standard lumber—and galvanized steel columns and supports, as well as standard treated lumber.

The side railings are made from the decking boards, and the end railing is Cable Rail with stainless steel supports. The deck in this project was conceptually designed to be a deck to infinity; the lines leading toward the far end of the deck act to exaggerate the perspective and make it appear longer.

The structure was designed to take up minimal vertical space to allow for more light under the deck and more headroom.

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.

Smog-Eating Building

Innovative design features are making buildings greener than ever, primarily by reducing a building’s energy usage. But this building in Mexico City takes it to the next level. A new tile, Prosolve 370e, as seen on the exterior of the Torre de Especialidades outside Mexico City’s Manuel Gea Gonzalez Hospital, converts the chemicals found in pollution into less toxic substances.



The tiles are coated with a special pigment that reacts with air pollutants when they're exposed to UV light. The chemicals then break down into compounds like carbon dioxide and water. The pigment will continue to purify the air until the coating wears off.

The unique eye-catching design is certainly a conversation piece, but beyond that, many have described it as a powerful symbol that something is being done to make Mexico City a better and safer place for its inhabitants.

Sustainability and green design is not just a trend to us. It’s an industry standard. The best design is an affordable solution you feel great about now and in the future.View our portfolio.

Let's keep the conversation going! Contact us or connect with us on Facebook.

See You at the Show

This year marks the 88th Annual Minneapolis District Midwinter Dental Meeting on January 31, 2014. 

We’re anticipating the lecture, “A Sound Recession-Proof Practice: Integrating the Team and Creating the Value,” by special guest, Dr. Lou Graham. We look forward to seeing faces new and familiar at the Marriott Southwest Hotel at 5801 Opus Parkway in Minnetonka.

See you then!

See You at the Show, St. Paul!

The Foundation Architects is looking forward to the 2014 Midwinter Meeting of the Saint Paul District Dental Society.

This, the 60th Annual Midwinter Meeting, is extra special—with an exciting new location at the University of St. Thomas in the Anderson Student Center on the Saint Paul Campus.

Check out the programs book for details like parking and for the itinerary.

We're looking forward to seeing new and familiar faces from the St. Paul District! We'll see you January 17 between 7:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.!

Learn more.

Remodel Trends

A recent Houzz and Home Survey shows the trend of increased home remodel continues in 2014.

Here are some highlights:

• Bathrooms and kitchens capture the bulk of remodel dollars and attention. 
• While some homeowners will tackle some projects solo, the majority will look to professionals to address their renovation goals. 
• Minneapolis has one of the highest number of respondents who feel now is especially a good time to remodel or add an addition. 
• The key motivation in remodels is to improve the look, feel, flow and layout of a home. 

What is your outlook for 2014? What would you like to improve about your home? We’re happy to keep the conversation going.

Check out residential remodel projects by The Foundation.

Are You Having a Green Winter?

The Foundation Architects is LEED accredited, which means we are serious about sustainability. Our model of green design and architecture drives all of our solutions. We care about the environment, and so do our clients.

The recent polar vortex has upgraded the topic of weather from just small talk, and many are concerned about keeping warm efficiently. Here are some great tips for remaining green during this frigid season:

Upgrade your thermostat.
There’s no need to overheat an empty home. Programmable thermostats make it possible to reduce the amount of energy used to heat your home when you’re not there and keep it comfortable when you are around, like on the weekend.

Seal your windows.
Reflective window film reduces loss of heat conducted outside your windows and reflects it back indoors. Storm window kits—the plastic sheeting you affix to window frames—are a quick and easy solution for weatherproofing. A simple caulking product can work as a quick and non-permanent seal for spaces and gaps around windows and other spaces that create wasteful drafts.

Reflect your radiators’ heat.
Instead of heating your walls, install heat reflectors—thin sheets that fit behind radiators that push heat into the room instead.

Weatherstrip and block. 
Foam, plastic or rubber strips provide a tight seal around doors or windows and help keep heat in and cold out. Draft blockers—foam plates that fit behind outlets and light switches—serve a similar function and are easy to install with a simple screwdriver.

What are some other creative, or downright simple, solutions you’ve arrived at for keeping warm while staying green?

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?

Where Is the Wealth?

In the past ten years, Washington D.C. has become home to 21,000 households that are part of the nation’s top 1 percent. “No other metro area came close,” writes Greg Jaffe and Jim Tankersley of The Washington Post. The boom, a result of government turning to contractors to reduce federal workforce, is changing the landscape of D.C—from the influx of high-end retailers like Tiffany and Co. and Tesla to local diners charging hundreds for ad space on their disposable placemats.

Where is the wealth in your region? Check out the tool that shows how high-income households (annual incomes of $191,469 and up) are concentrated across the United States.

Some Quick Minnesota Numbers*:

Dakota County
Ranked 149 of 3,143 counties nationally
19% of Dakota County’s income comes from its top 5%

Hennepin County
Ranked 104
24% of its income comes from its top 5%

Ramsey County
Ranked 275
21% of its income comes from its top 5%

Washington County
Ranked 96
20% of its income comes from its top 5%

*courtesy of “Where the nation’s highest earners live,” Washington Post.

Welcoming Design at Siverson Dental Care

Siverson Dental Care was remodeled to create a warm firm impression that makes guests feel calm and welcome immediately upon entering the clinic.

Curved walls soothe patients and offer cues that lead them to the
seating area.

Additional design elements were incorporated to help patients feel connected to and comfortable in this dental environment.

The convenience center was designed to allow patients entering the treatment area to pick up a brochure on a procedure.

Also, upon leaving, the patient has an opportunity to check their appearance, and children can pick out their sticker or toy.

The sterilization area is clean, modern and simple—reinforcing the functional purpose of the space.

The modern appearance of the treatment area is warmed by earth tones and textures. Tones and textures that mimic those in nature are calming.

Each treatment area is a modern, warm environment designed to encourage patient relaxation.

The treatment areas feel connected to the clinic as a whole, so patients don’t feel isolated. Windows are a great way to accomplish this. Even when patients are not directly looking through a window to the outdoors, they have a sense of their environment and its connection to where they are. An unfamiliar setting becomes more familiar and comfortable.

Patients leaving the clinic get a great last impression and a warm farewell from reception.

Contractor: Karkela Construction, Inc.
Dental Equipment: Patterson Dental
Architects: The Foundation Architects
Interior Design: Bob Shaffer

Tips from Our President Bob Shaffer on a Green Dental Practice

Chanhassen Family Dental

Contemporary Product Services (CPS) Magazine, recently featured Bob Shaffer on his many years of experience in designing "green" projects. He has collected a wealth of information on creating sustainable design specifically for dental offices. He shared some tips with CPS Magazine:

• Use digital X-rays. Switching to digital x-rays uses less film and reduces waste from chemicals and lead-lined film packets.
• Go paperless. Switching to digital patient files and billing increases staff efficiency and reducing material costs of folders, labels and preprinted forms. Shaffer recommends electronic forms where patients can enter information.
• Choose new equipment wisely. When you are in the market for new appliances, monitors or computers, look for the ones with the energy star label. Some energy-efficient devices pay for themselves in just a few years with their reduction in energy use.
• Use healthy cleaning products and paints. Chemical cleaning products can release VOCs into your clinic environment. Switching to eco-friendly cleaning products reduces or eliminates this source of VOCs and possibly reduces cost.

That's just for the dental practice—read Bob's article for tips on designing a new clinic building and greening the clinic space.