American Trio Lofts

One of our favorite projects to-date was designing the roof top patio for ATL Lofts with our friends at PEBL Design. Being an older building, American Trio had only one elevator to the roof top, and not a particularly big one. The landscape architect reached out to see if we had any ideas for modular, commercial grade furniture which could be assembled on top of the building but was also fresh and exciting.

About a year prior, Elijah had designed a lounge chair using a steel frame with vinyl woven around it to create a seat from two intersecting planes. It was a great fit for the space, but there were many other pieces of furniture required. So we set about designing an entire line of tables, lounge chairs, dining chairs, love seats, and stools to compliment Elijah’s original design. We also built a decent number of durable aluminum planter boxes ranging from 2’x2’ up to 4’x4’ and had them powder coated to match the furniture.

The community seemed pretty happy about their upgraded space. Before the planters it had been pretty lifeless, and the sparse furniture which had occupied the space previously didn’t invite people to stay long. Now they can take in views of US Bank Stadium and the Guthrie Theater from a variety of intimate spaces created for a wide variety of uses, from work to dining, sunbathing to herb gardening, our partnership with PEBL on this project resulted in a fully considered and inviting community space.

Pentagon Park

In the spring of 2019, Elijah was approached by commercial developers to create a completely original line of outdoor furniture for patio spaces in the newly renovated Pentagon Park business center in Edina, MN. The project called for roughly 100 pieces of furniture, as well as five pergola structures. A site visit early on provided an opportunity for Elijah to explore the architecture of the late 1960s campus and come up with several designs that would highlight the repeating lines of concrete columns and glass.

After considering all the design elements already part of the site and the practical requirements of creating a durable commercial space, Elijah presented a series of furniture designed with laser cut steel, concrete, and thermally modified Ash. Businesslike yet energetic forms with an interesting combination of repeating lines and dynamic angles. Our pergolas would be modern steel frames with perforated aluminum sheets providing shade, and cedar legs.

The client accepted the preliminary proposal, and we moved on to develop the designs into prototypes, select colors, and put together a formal bid for the entire project. After settling on the final details, it was time to begin production. The lumber was sourced from a responsible forestry service specializing in recycling felled urban hardwood. The steel parts were laser cut from 1/4” steel plate and welded. We cast steel reinforced concrete tops in our own molds, and finally bolted, glued and screwed everything together.

Delivery of the full shipment of furniture was made six days ahead of the project deadline, with the Pergolas following shortly after. They were set up as specified by the landscape architect and fixed to the concrete slabs via anti-theft wire leashes. All necessary permitting was completed and inspections were scheduled by Elijah to verify with the city of Edina that the Pergolas met code. One of the most unique pieces we delivered was the community table, an 18ft monstrosity supported through its span by a 10” I-beam. Each of the spaces we got to create now draws coworkers together and into unique outdoor settings for breaks, meetings, and events. Our furniture provides flexibility, comfort, and is built to withstand the elements for many years to come.

Studio MPLS

Its always a privilege to get to design for other designers. Summer of 2017 Elijah met Dan and his crew at Studio MPLS and they started dreaming up plans to turn their new building into a chic new home for their business. Their most pressing need was for a desk unit which could comfortably seat ten people. Our solution was to create a custom desk system, with five double sided desk stations made with architectural steel beams and nestled in between six 1/4" steel plates. All powder coated a beautiful satin black. This allowed us to carry the nearly two ton monstrosity in the front door in pieces, and offered the possibility of additions and reconfigurations to the desk if their needs ever change. The tops of the desks were then fitted with American Ash hardwood tops. Cord management and backlighting was carefully considered to keep everyone's actual workspace as clean as the design its self.  

Another major needs was storage, so we created this steel book case to reflect the materials, construction method, and proportions of the desk. It has five sections, divided by the same 1/4" steel plate used to subdivide the desk. Four of these sections are shelves, and the last one on is a bench designed to give guests a welcoming place to rest. The top of the shelf as well as the bench seat are made out of the same hardwood top.

Last, we were tasked with designing a conference table which would work with the rest of our designs while complimenting the Eames chairs they had already purchased. What we designed was a single pedestal design with a hardwood top and many electrical and data plugins accessible via a discrete trap door in the table top, and routed to the floor behind the walls of the pedestal. The simplest, but perhaps most important aspect of the design was to make the pedestal in a sort of bottom-heavy hourglass shape. The diagonal angles that this created tie in with the legs of the Eames chairs without overcomplicating the composition. The narrowest point of the hourglass is also at knee height, creating extra room for legs and maximum comfort while seated at the table. 

We'd like to thank Studio MPLS for the opportunity to create for them. And for their incredible help during move-in day. Oofta. 

Also thanks to Brent Schoepf for the wonderful photos of the finished space. 

Latitude

In the spring of 2017 we had the opportunity to partner with Prospect Refuge Studio in Minneapolis to help an energetic young company build their dream space. We walk into projects at a wide range of stages, from designing, to framing, to finishing, and everywhere in between. Each presents its own challenges and possibilities. We were initially approached by lead interior designer Victoria Sass to create a massive modular display unit... out of I-beams. Our solution highlighted the raw, industrial aesthetic of unfinished beams, welded into a heavy framework. We made folded steel cabinets for the bottom layer, with bypassing sliding doors and drawers to provide ample storage. The shelves and shadow boxes were designed to be completely mobile. We focused on reducing their weight wherever possible, and designed a unique system which allows a person to lift each shelving piece out and rearrange them into endless combinations without a single screw or fastener. 

To complete the space, two steel work tables were built with complementary dimensions and finishes. To keep the space as flexible as possible, we fitted them with industrial grade casters. 

We were also tasked with a few late-stage additions to tie together the space and serve a few practical needs. Such as this perfectly nested cabinet where guests can stow their coats and belongings. 

One of the pieces we were most excited about was this massive steel front desk. We constructed it out of heavy sheets of hot rolled steel, selecting a panel with beautiful natural coloration ranging from deep grey to subtle shades of blue.

Special thanks to Victoria of Prospect Refuge Studio for including us in her grand vision for this space. Each and every piece we created for this project was designed collaboratively, over many cups of coffee and sketchbook pages, and it was a blast to turn those sketches into a reality. www.prospectrefugestudio.com

We'd also like to thank Amanda of Amanda Marie Studio for capturing these beautiful photos. www.amandamariestudio.com