The Centennial Office Building Pre-Design assesses the current facility and defines the scope of work for the facility’s first major upgrades and overhaul since its dedication 60 years ago. This mid-century office building lacked the infrastructure to meet the growing demand for office space near the State Capitol but has vertical expansion capacity.
The pre-design seeks to extend the life and utility of the Centennial Office Building, identifying ground floor access and wayfinding, handicap accessibility, daylighting, air quality, and shared amenities (fitness rooms and meeting spaces) as deficiencies for the current environment. The recommendations resolve these concerns and focus on improving interior finishes, security, MEP systems, exterior windows, landscaping, elevators, and kitchen and cafeteria spaces. Additionally, the pre-design evaluated structural elements and confirmed the feasibility of expanding vertically.
As part of the pre-design process, workplace strategies and space standards modernize the building, create a more efficient planning model, and provide a team-oriented office environment, ultimately enhancing work culture by creating effective, flexible workplaces for the future. Recognizing that change is inevitable, design decisions consider millennials as an essential part of the workforce who prefer an open and modern work environment and that the State of Minnesota will look to hire more employees with disabilities as part of their diversity and inclusion initiative. These factors have influenced the pre-design recommendations concerning space efficiency, staff cohesiveness, and ergonomic concerns.