The creative group at Target described their vision of the space as an amenity and an alternative work place for team members visiting or working at Target’s corporate headquarters, located just across the street. Target Plaza Commons was designed to offer distinctly different, “non-corporate” spaces than those provided at their existing headquarters.
Target Plaza Commons was created by innovatively renovating two historic 1920s and 1930s era commercial buildings in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. The corner two-story building, was originally designed for an additional six floors, resulting in an extremely robust concrete structure. Large windows gaze out onto city streets, while the rear opens onto a former parking lot.
Immediately the design team was awestruck by the raw space. Our strategy was to add as little as possible. We began by removing the original wood-framed mezzanine in its entirety, providing new energy efficient windows, and opening the back wall which allowed a connection to a planned outdoor space; an urban courtyard.