Wanting to maintain a downtown Muscatine presence and consolidate multiple locations, HNI Corporation hired the team of Gensler, with OPN Architects serving as the Architect of Record, to renovate and expand the former Free Press Building into a the new corporate headquarters. The facility serves as offices and a showroom for Gunlocke, a division of HNI that manufactures high end wooden furniture.

The renovation was extensive including a new concrete plaster exterior, new windows and a new roof system. A new, metal clad addition provided an elevator/stair/restroom core. The rich character of the interior with tin ceilings, wood floors, and joists, and steel structures were exposed and integrated into the design. Openings were created on the second and third floor to create connectivity between staff on all three levels. A new courtyard was created at the corner of Walnut Street and Second Street to respond to downtown Muscatine and the greenspace of Trinity Episcopal Church.

Sustainability Highlights:

• Maintained urban density through building reuse
• Site takes advantage of existing downtown amenities and infrastructure
• Rehabilitation of brownfield site
• Diverted 75% of construction waste from landfill and made use of construction materials with recycled content while eliminating toxic off-gassing materials
• Reduces and treats storm water runoff from building and site
• Building design maximizes natural light penetration and views to the exterior, with 78% of the building receiving natural light and 92% of the building having views to the outside