River Prairie Wealth Partners
Formerly housed in a drab suburban office complex surrounded by parking lots, the River Prairie Wealth Partners team wanted a new, long-term home in a walkable, up-and-coming development area that included restaurants, parkland and housing. The firm envisioned a commercial office space design that would be a vibrant, nourishing environment — highly productive and exceedingly healthy — that would help staff and clients enjoy success together while having abundant access to daylight, clean air, social interaction, and places of refuge.
River Prairie Wealth Partners
Formerly housed in a drab suburban office complex surrounded by parking lots, the River Prairie Wealth Partners team wanted a new, long-term home in a walkable, up-and-coming development area that included restaurants, parkland and housing. The firm envisioned a commercial office space design that would be a vibrant, nourishing environment — highly productive and exceedingly healthy — that would help staff and clients enjoy success together while having abundant access to daylight, clean air, social interaction, and places of refuge.
River Prairie Wealth Partners charged our team with creating a welcoming space, where team members and visitors — including passers-by from the neighborhood — would feel compelled to “hang out.” They wanted an approachable, comfortable facility with a contemporary, high-quality ambiance that felt neither stuffy nor overly “showy.”
To encourage community gathering within the building, designers incorporated a street-facing lounge. A coffee shop-like concept includes a fireplace and cozy seating, invoking the kinds of “Up North” vibes the region famously embraces. The lounge welcomes clients and hosts events. But it’s also a reminder for team members to pause, take a breath, and connect with one another.
The team also integrated biophilic design elements into the commercial office space design including access to sunlight and outdoor views. To ensure the building’s central “bullpen” wasn’t left out, designers implemented a light-box concept. A raised, central roof section lined with windows allows sunshine to pour into the workspace below. The bullpen’s walls — and those of the surrounding offices — are glass, so all occupants can look through exterior windows at picturesque views of densely forested parklands and the Chippewa River.
Home-like materials and finishes contribute soothing levels of light, a variety of textures and colors, and carpeted areas to help mitigate noise. Products with little to no off-gassing of harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) were selected to help maintain good indoor air quality.
Completed
2022
Team
Shelter, Market & Johnson, A.M. Structural Engineering, Apex Engineering, Ayres Associates
Accolades
ASID MN Design Excellence Awards 2024, Commercial Corporate 15,000 SF & Under - First Place; Midwest Home Design Awards 2023, Commercial Building Architecture - Second Place
Photographer
