A Foundation of Green Elegance
Elegant Sustainability for a Historic Office Building

By definition, historic buildings carry the legacy of a bygone era. And, while often steeped in rich tradition and grand design, they rarely are environmentally correct. GunkelmanFlesher’s Andrew Flesher, along with assistants Donneen Torrey and Brooke Voss, recently completed a restoration that integrated the best of both worlds.

The project was the new headquarters of a private family foundation that relocated to a historic building in Northeast Minneapolis. The building, which had been built around the turn of the 20th century as a library, had fallen into a state of disrepair.

GF was asked to restore the first floor of this structure to its original beauty, while bringing it up-to-date as a 21st century office environment.  What’s more, it was agreed that the project should follow the formidable environmental criteria of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold accreditation – an internationally-respected green certification.

Old but New

“Our goal was to maintain the integrity of this historic structure, yet allow it to work for the client’s present day business needs,” said Andrew. “There was a sensibility about not changing things for change-sake, yet understanding the need to update the space to make it functional and sustainable.”

Overall, the previous library (and later, art gallery space) had to be redesigned to accommodate the foundation’s offices, conference rooms, lobby and kitchen. “Basically the interior was reconfigured by adding new glass divisions. No walls were taken down and the structural integrity was maintained,” he said.

Another significant operational aspect of the update was making the space handicap-accessible. So, among other improvements, an addition that housed a new elevator was built.

Minimal but Maximum

This minimal change had maximum appeal. Andrew explained that the glass walls didn’t alter the look of the building, but gave the foundation staff some much needed privacy while allowing the natural light to help illuminate the space.

Also, by employing glass dividers, the client’s private art collection, which is on display throughout the space, could be showcased for maximum visual impact.

Environmental but Aesthetic

The client was adamant about achieving the highest level of environmental sustainability in the renovation project. So, the team challenged themselves to go for the gold.

According to Andrew, to achieve LEED's coveted Gold certification, each facet of the renovation was scored on a checklist as the work was completed. Careful consideration was given to the interactions between the materials used, the design features of the building and the impact on the actual site.

With particular emphasis on the sustainability of the materials employed in the design, GF specified the use of: carpet made from recycled goods; natural materials minimizing synthetic content; vintage furnishings that were recycled; and organic paint that didn’t off-gas or release toxics into the environment.

Additionally, each material used in the project had to be sourced from a location within 500 miles of property site. This proved to be occasionally challenging. For example, the team originally selected marble for the bathroom flooring from St. Cloud, Minnesota – approximately 80 miles from the job site. “The problem was they had to ship the marble to Canada to machine it, and then ship it back,” Andrew said. “It didn’t meet our 500 mile radius criteria. So we decided to use Marmoleum that’s made from recycled goods.  This was a solution that didn’t compromise the design, and it complied with LEED criteria.”

Environmental considerations extended to lighting choices, window treatments, and myriad non-design categories. Going green can be more costly, of course. But, long-term, these costs can be offset by reduced operating costs and ultimately extending a building’s lifespan.

While this project is currently undergoing submission for review and certification under LEED-NC v2.2, it is fully expected to achieve a Gold rating.  For its successful incorporation of historic preservation and environmental impact considerations, the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota presented the first ever Minnesota Preservation Award for Excellence in Sustainable Design to the building.

The Lobby

While it’s a “Sophie’s Choice” no designer likes to make, when pressed Andrew cited the lobby as his favorite aspect of the renovation. “Architecturally it’s amazing.  The scale of the room is very grand. Yet it’s a comfortable and welcoming reception area for the client’s guests.”

The restored leaded stain glass ceilings – using the original glass that had been covered for years – set the tone for the lobby. The pristine white walls with ornate moldings and the furnishings with earth tone accents are the perfect backdrop to the beautiful stain glass. “This was a case where we successfully recycled an existing element, and it worked beautifully.”

A Dream Project

Everyone involved with the project, including the client, Domain Architects, Ryan Construction and GF, is thrilled with the outcome. Andrew said, “Our client was very open to new ideas, and the fact that he had a really great eye for art helped immeasurably. In the end, we created a beautiful space using green materials that met the needs of the client. It was a dream project.”