Archives

1. Four Seasons Private Residences

   Located on the top six floors of Minneapolis’s new Gateway Tower, these new condos complement the building’s hotel and office space. The Four Seasons Hotel is the first five-star hotel in Minnesota, and the residences are designed to match that standard of luxury. Condo design options include two palettes: the Nordic palette, a calming, refreshing take on modern Scandinavian design; and the Urban palette, a sensuous, glamorous, more urbane scheme. The design features local materials (selected within a 500-mile radius) and natural, healthy, sustainably sourced materials. MSR Design also designed and selected all furniture and art work used in the public spaces, sales center, and model home. We are also currently designing one of the three penthouse condos.

2. Orono Residence

   The design evolves from the agricultural legacy of the site’s fields and fence rows interacting with a new stone wall to establish precincts for new uses: windbreak, orchard, garden, lawn, and pool. Chosen to age gracefully, irregularly-cut courses of New York bluestone predominate the house inside and out. The stone contrasts with reclaimed materials, such as Douglas fir structural beams, teak flooring made of reused railroad ties from Africa, and antique ceramic tile and fireplace mantels. Gable rafters change slope along the length of the house, forming an S-shaped ridgeline that evokes an image of a sagging barn roof to represent the passage of time.

3. Paper Mill House

   Sited to be understated as visitors and guests arrive, the structure promotes strong visual connections to the site’s beauty. Flexibly designed with separate dwelling and entertainment wings, the home accommodates comfortable gatherings for groups ranging from 4 to 200 people. Spaces can also be easily closed off and scaled by furnishings to provide intimacy. The house is designed to use 70% less energy per square foot than a standard home, and with the planned addition of hydropower and solar technology, it should achieve near net zero energy consumption.

4. Aeon the Rose Housing

   This new housing complex includes 47 affordable and 43 market rate apartments, underground parking, and various indoor and outdoor community spaces. Using the Living Building Challenge (LBC) as a framework in the process, the designers placed equal emphasis on providing equity and beauty, meeting SB2030 goals for reducing energy 70% below baseline, reducing water use by 50%, and not significantly increasing construction costs over a conventional building. The design incorporates many small measures that add up to significant gains in each of these areas.

5. Aeon the Louis Housing

   This project involved transforming a brownfield, industrial site in the Prospect Park neighborhood near the Minneapolis/Saint Paul border along the light rail transit Metro Green Line into 63 affordable apartments and 7 market-rate apartments. The site is part of a larger stormwater management district developed through the Prospect North Partnership. Our site was designed to provide stormwater collection and infiltration for a several block area. The district is also an urban village experience with pedestrian-oriented design and high-density livability. Amenities include a community space, conference room, secure courtyard with a play area, bicycle storage for every apartment, and a fitness center. The project received Metropolitan Council TOD funding and MHFA LIHTC funding by complying with Enterprise Green Communities standards.

6. 101 Dupont Place

   Originally serving as the headquarters for DuPont de Nemours, Inc., the Dupont Building is an iconic building within the Rodney Square Historic District in downtown Wilmington. This project involved transforming the historic 13-story building into luxury apartments and office space. Through a neutral materials palette, the design honors the legacy of the building, while reinterpreting classic detailing with a modern approach to keep the building timeless. In an effort to preserve as much of the building’s historic fabric as possible, the executive conferencing suite with a two-story boardroom has been converted into a club room,  lounge, theater, and coworking space. Other amenities include a gym, dog wash station, and roof deck with dramatic views of downtown.

    

    

    

7. Mount Curve Modern Residence

   The design respects the existing aesthetic of this significant work of mid-century modernism—originally designed by University of Minnesota architecture professor Robert Bliss—while incorporating new amenities. The kitchen has been expanded into the former maid’s room and includes an adjacent sitting area with a fireplace. The design connects this space to the dining and living rooms and terrace beyond by opening an existing oak-clad wall, which is detailed to match the original. The master bedroom suite includes a bath with a Japanese soaking tub and custom cabinetry designed to match the existing millwork found throughout the home. Adjacent to the garage, the former chauffeur’s room has been converted into a guest suite.

8. Washburn Lofts, 4th Floor Loft

   New, simple, modern additions complement the old mill’s re-exposed concrete shell and a graffiti-covered brick wall. An enclosed box in the center of the loft houses more quiet functions, including a study (that doubles as a guest room with a Murphy bed concealed in the millwork), bedrooms, and bathrooms. The open living and dining area and adjacent kitchen provide space for entertaining and offer stunning views of the Mississippi River. High-quality, neutral material choices provide consistency throughout the space, from the bleached wood floors and tiled bathrooms to the white walls contrasted with dark-stained oak millwork.

9. Trolley Quarter Flats

   Located on the Wisconsin River on the edge of downtown, the site presented challenges. A dilapidated, but structurally-sound trolley shed and wood super-structure (used to lift carriages off the trolley platform for repairs), located on the site, were the last remnants of Wausau’s street trolley system, which operated from 1906 to 1940. Understanding the historic significance of these structures, the developer and design team preserved and incorporated them into the design. The 40-unit complex includes private outdoor areas for all dwelling units, private garden plots for each ground level unit, play and study areas for children inside and outside the building, community space for adults, and parking. It has served as a catalyst for further revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood and to strengthen Wausau’s downtown.

10. Atrium Lofts

    After completing the Trolley Quarter Flats, the MSR  Design project team noticed an abandoned building next door with an interesting history. The Marathon Shoe Company East Side Plant was the best remaining representation of a leading industry in the City of Wausau in the first half of the 20th century. MSR Design provided analysis, guidance, and encouragement to preserve the historic factory, leading to its placement on the National Register of Historic Places by Preservation Design Works. Working with MetroPlains Development, we transformed the historic structure into market-rate and affordable housing. To retain the building’s character, the design team preserved the large volume, open floor plate, and few internal walls. The design enhances daylight throughout the space, using clerestory windows to fill the central volume and large windows in each unit.