When you're in the business of designing and building high-end, sustainable custom homes, your own headquarters shouldn't just be a place where people sit at desks. It needs to be a living, breathing portfolio. It needs to tell a story the second a client walks through the door.
But until recently, our Minneapolis headquarters didn't quite match that vision. Originally a heavily partitioned acupuncture clinic, the space was dark, cramped, and lacked any room for true collaboration.
Today, after a top-to-bottom remodel, it stands as a bright, sustainable, and historically rich architectural showcase. Here's the story of how we transformed our office into an inspiring hub for both our staff and our clients.
Before the transformation, walking into our office felt more like visiting a traditional medical facility than a creative design firm. The floor plan was cut up into a series of tiny, segregated treatment rooms. Low drop ceilings and heavy carpeting made the space feel dark and overcrowded. There were virtually no collaborative spaces, and the layout completely lacked the signature energy and aesthetic of a Sustainable 9 home.
The Vision
Our primary goal for the remodel was to create an immediate, lasting first impression. We wanted clients to arrive and instantly experience what we're capable of through design alone, no explanation necessary. Our objective was to blend a functioning, highly productive office with a tactile, immersive showroom experience.
As soon as demo day began, the building started revealing its hidden history. We peeled back the layers of old drywall and drop ceilings, and what we found fundamentally changed the direction of our design.
Historic Discoveries Under the Hood
To address structural concerns after exposing the original roof joists, we added a new support beam running through the spine of the building. Instead of hiding this structural necessity, we left the beam and the original timber trusses fully exposed, creating a gorgeous structural focal point.
The standout discovery, however, was the massive metal fire door and brick wall, hinting at the building's past life as an auto body shop (and potentially a horse stable) from nearly a century ago. Today, that exact brick wall and fire door serve as the stunning centerpiece of our main conference room, perfectly anchoring the meeting space in historic context.
This dialogue between old and new extends to the outdoors. Our office features an enclosed back patio bordered by an old neighboring garage with a beautifully weathered, old-world stucco finish. Revamped with new birch trees, pavers, and lush landscaping, it has become a daily sanctuary for staff lunches, outdoor client meetings, and relaxed afternoon happy hours.
While aesthetics were crucial, our office still needed to function flawlessly as a high-performing workplace. We engineered the new layout to maximize natural light and maintain an open, dynamic flow while addressing key operational needs:
Color, Texture, and Local Roots
Our interior material palette is an energetic, playful mix designed to reinforce our brand identity while creating an inviting environment.
A deliberate color scheme of black, tan, green, and orange brings our workspace to life. We proudly showcase our strong vendor relationships: high-end Cambria countertops are paired seamlessly with Crystal Cabinets, giving clients a firsthand look at premium, real-world finishes.
Industrial metal details tie our spaces together, appearing on the custom metal staircase, conference room shelving, cabinetry accent walls, and plant displays.
Design Spotlight: The Living Wall Shelves
Refusing to settle for mediocre, off-the-shelf options, we custom-designed vibrant metal plant shelves. Blending color, depth, and functionality, these uniquely crafted shelves transform our walls into a living mural, adding a bold, artistic touch to the office interior.
A Nod to Minnesota
As a playful tribute to our home state, our bathroom features a bold, Minnesota-themed wallpaper kindly provided by Murals Your Way, ensuring the space maintains a distinct, lighthearted sense of place.
You can't have "Sustainable" in your name without prioritizing eco-friendly building practices. Our office remodel serves as a showcase of high-performance, responsible design:
Now that we've been working in the space for a couple of years, the verdict is unanimous: we absolutely love it. Gone are the days of feeling crammed in the dark with supplies spilling over into our individual workspaces. The open layout lets us seamlessly connect, collaborate, and navigate our creative day with ease.
When it comes to our favorite day-to-day upgrades, two things top our list:
By honoring our building's industrial past and infusing it with modern, sustainable innovation, we didn't just remodel an office, we built a living testament to our design philosophy.
