Ramsey County Property Management hired Wold Architects and Engineers to implement tenant improvements for their finance office in the Metro Square building in downtown St. Paul. The improvements unify the finance department in a single location for Ramsey County, originally located in a historic courthouse that lacked sufficient space for the department.
Wold was originally hired to complete a space needs assessment in the historic courthouse location. A lack of cohesive space, inability to expand for growth of staff and outdated furnishings motivated the finance department to seek a new space for Wold to then renovate to suit the department's needs. A few of the larger objectives that guided the office improvements included modernizing the current office space and setting new office furnishings and workplace strategies for the county.
Wold strived to create a workspace within Metro Square that had one area for all staff to work and collaborate, right-sized allowing for growth and an enjoyable work environment. The modern furnishings completed for the finance department set the stage for the new model of Ramsey County offices that were yet to come. It was the first department to implement open offices with low partitions between desks, glass front walls on the office spaces and collaborative workspaces placed throughout the office to allow coworkers to huddle around a table rather than formally meet in a conference room. Additionally, Wold designed the "Club Room"- a café/breakout space that allows team members an alternative environment to work in at any time or enjoy their lunch or coffee during a respite from their typical workplace. The county had previously established standard finishes for the building, so Wold worked with accent colors to liven up the space and place the enclosed offices away from outside windows to allow maximum natural light to flow through the open areas.
Wold had a unique opportunity working with Ramsey County on the tenant improvements by working with the client from the very beginning of space needs assessment through move-in. Wold worked with Ramsey County to define the initial space problems, establish goals for a new space, and collaborate on unique solutions. From there, our team worked to design a new office with user input that helped explore innovative design options to improve their department's culture. The finance department moved into their new space, which they still love to this day.