Northstreet Co-op & Bakke Center’s The Living Kitchen embody transformational design
Two project honored by Madison’s business community with a Commercial Design Award – Northstreet Co-op and The Bakke Center’s The Living Kitchen – uniquely embody the transformational potential of renovations and re-use across all scales and spectrums.
The Greater Madison InBusiness Commercial Design Awards were presented at a ceremony on August 3, 2023. OPN received two of the 11 awards. The winners are profiled in the September issue of InBusiness magazine.
Bakke Center The Living Kitchen
Best New Development or Renovation: Retail
Twenty years after the Madison-based appliance company’s first Living Kitchen opened, the headquarters’ showpiece space no longer represented the brands’ products or reputation for excellence. A renovation of the Bakke Center Living Kitchen transformed a dated and dark showroom into a luxurious finish palette and reconfigured layout both integrate and highlight the company’s products. Designed to inspire, the space is both a training tool and a prototype for other living kitchens in showrooms across the country. Sub-Zero Group Inc is an important employer in Madison with 1,382 employees and an annual revenue of $430 million.
Best New Development or Renovation: Small Budget (up to $2 million)
North Street Co-Op sits on a prominent corner of Madison’s East side, an ideal location to attract customers. Formerly an auto repair shop, the site and building now draws positive attention from the sidewalk and street with dynamic, brightly colored murals. The trio of tenants – a bakery, coffeeshop and brewery – all cater to patrons at a different time of day, which activates the building at all hours, making it a destination day and night. Inside and out, each design decision was made to support the tenants goal of creating a community hub the neighborhood would embrace and shape.