The Nordic Amenity Space
Studio BV instilled a rich and relaxing vibe in the design of the Nordic, a sophisticated amenity space unlike any other located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
A Nordic modern warehouse. Warm, bright, textured, soft, and welcoming. This building is where you want to work, where you want to meet for happy hour and where you brunch on Sunday.
The building takes shape and creates an edge between the street and the plaza, the plaza stretches between two buildings creating an outdoor plaza that is half living room half big backyard that links the Loose Wiles Building and The Nordic. The plaza activity and the people create a constant energy and dynamism that defines the neighborhood.
The interior and exterior of the building blur the boundary between inside and out, play and work, modern and old, private and public. The design concept of intentional overlap is about provoking changing utility of spaces and complexity of use. The building’s interior spaces should over time, day to night, weekday to weekend and seasonally.
The materials are shifting from warm and richly textured to bright and soft. The space is rich and relaxing.
The interior is anchored by a fireplace lounge and a warm coffee bar. The custom designed fireplace creates an edge the separates the lounge and work area from the circulation space in the lobby.
The coffee shop is warm and bright and blends into and connects the plaza with the lobby lounge. Custom features are the stars of the project. The entire lobby is anchored by a custom patterned light feature wall that guides you from the entry deep into the space to the elevator lobby. This pattern was inspired by Swedish traditional textile patterns.
The concierge desk is a custom wood crescent shape that was inspired by ship making in the Scandinavian countries. This walnut desk contrasts with the custom ash flooring. The walnut desk is large and anchors the lobby to create a warm sculptural element as a focal point in the large open space.
The other signature space is the cozy fireplace lounge. The design team wanted to create a warm and soft space to anchor the cold poured concrete ceiling and columns. The design team created a large scale woven wall panels installed alongside a custom sofa. This sofa and wall condition are a soft counter balance to the building architecture. The saturated color helps to create a scale shift and an intimacy in a large open space.
The team also worked with artists to do custom installations in the project. The team worked with a local artist to develop a series of small to medium sculptures that create a gallery next to a lounge space.
Design: Studio BV
Photography: Corey Gaffer Photography
