INSTALL Case Study: AIMIA Corporate Headquarters in Minneapolis

INSTALL-AIMIA — The installation at AIMIA’s new corporate headquarters in downtown Minneapolis was completed by Sonus Interiors, an INSTALL Warranty contractor. (Photo courtesy of INSTALL.)

AIMIA, a Minnesota-based data-driven marketing and analytics company, recently underwent a brand refresh and wanted to relocate its headquarters to a new, flagship Twin Cities office. Butler Square in downtown Minneapolis, once home to the historic Athletic Park stadium where the Minneapolis Mariners and St. Paul Saints played, was the ideal space. Plenty of work had to be done to get the space ready, and Sonus Interiors—an INSTALL Warranty contractor with a history of working with large and complex commercial projects—was up for the challenge.

Relocating AIMIA’s U.S. corporate headquarters to the historic Butler Square building presented an opportunity for architect MSR Design to help the company redefine its workplace culture. Gone were traditional cubicles, and in entered expansive collaborative workspaces, meeting tables and lounge-type furniture to offer choice and flexibility for employees. Three different color-coded themes (green, blue, and purple) provide differentiation and facilitate wayfinding throughout the office.

After an extensive renovation, the resulting open-concept environment blends office and hospitality design and uses a wide array of flooring products. Installed by Sonus Interiors, the flooring provides zoned workspaces that are designed to be welcoming to both clients and employees.

Installation Challenges

Faced with a limited budget, MSR selected cost-effective finishes and furniture to be used in innovative ways. While these decisions ultimately saved money, the flooring installation process was complex and time constraints meant there was no room for error.

Sonus Interiors was selected to head up the flooring installation based on a preexisting relationship with the property management team. They were entrusted with the renovation, and immediately got to work with the architect to plan and install the intricate zoned design.

Incorporating 24 different types of carpet, this project was no ordinary retrofit. In fact, the interior architect’s design was so complex that one journeyman was devoted to navigating the pattern, while the other journeyman completed the installation.

The pattern wasn’t the only challenge. During the initial tear-out of the existing office space, the floors were left incredibly sticky from old adhesive residue. Having construction debris ground into the glue would have been a nightmare, so Sonus Interiors used a primer to seal the existing floors.

While the project proved complicated, there was still no delay when it came to the flooring installation. With the help of Sonus Interiors’ INSTALL training and certification, the team was able to ensure the integrity of the intricate design and provide a vibrant and contemporary new home for AIMIA.

For more information about INSTALL, the International Standards and Training Alliance, visit installfloors.org.

This article was originally posted on www.fcimag.com.

Michael Chmielecki wrote about the floor covering industry for BNP Media for more than ten years. As editor of Floor Covering Installer and senior editor of Floor Trends, he always sought ways to better connect and inform the installation and contracting community. Mike has a degree in journalism from the University of New Hampshire.