OPN’s Minneapolis studio is located in the historic Colonial Warehouse in the dynamic North Loop neighborhood. Although it is a simple plan on a tight budget, we took the same approach we take with all our clients – to design and build something that is as practical as it is beautiful.

The primary organizing principle is daylight. Every element in the spaces revolves around access to natural light. The 10-foot-high, north facing, double hung windows bring and even and diffuse light deep into space. They connect the entire studio to the sights and sounds of the city below. They light the entire studio up on a sunny day without needing electric lights. The collaborative workspace opens up to a glassy bank of conference rooms along the west wall. The glass wall weaves through the timber frame columns and provides a measure of privacy and transparency through a series of vertical louvers made of window film and aluminum fins. The conference rooms borrow light from the main workspace through the louvers and clerestory glass above.

We prioritized the historic character of clear heart Douglas Fir timber and brick structure by keeping the interiors and furniture palate simple and clean.
Unoccupied since 1998, we took this leftover space in the building and made it into someplace everyone looks forward to coming into every day. With this small project, we’ve built lasting relationships with the contractor, realtors and building owner, with whom we’ve done six other projects in the building.