Influence of Design: Milestone AV Technologies' Global Headquarters and Design Center
Milestone AV Technologies (a Duchossois Group portfolio company) selected Mekus Tanager, Inc. to design its new, state-of-the-art Global Headquarters & Design Center within an existing building in Eden Prairie, MN. Milestone AV Technologies has several facilities located in Minnesota, and a goal for the project was to combine many of the products and functions of these facilities into one location while maintaining operation/distribution facilities elsewhere. Another goal for the project was to create an atmosphere and corporate culture of interdepartmental cohesion and collaboration, thus increasing productivity and efficiency while also allowing employees to feel more involved and invested in Milestone AV Technologies.
The new Global Headquarters & Design Center was designed to create a network of open work spaces that encourage team collaboration and invention within and between various departments. Further, each floor was designed to fit the specific needs of its occupants, with the goal of helping employees become more productive and efficient. Corporate branding and cultural motifs were incorporated throughout the space to reflect Milestone AV Technologies’ desired shift in culture to embrace all of its brands.
The new space also features: a machine shop that produces prototypical products, a dynamic living laboratory, and a UL testing lab. These spaces allow product designers and engineers to collaborate with commercial dealers and retailers to demonstrate new products, build, test, and then experience products during daily use, and advance new product variety and technology. Combining these capabilities in one location helps Milestone AV Technologies bring products to the market faster while simultaneously improving product quality.
Overall, the new facility incorporates office spaces, workstations, employee training rooms, conference rooms, an employee break area, product showroom, customer-support “customer experience areas”, a machine shop, and engineering and quality control labs. In keeping with the client’s goal of designing a sustainable facility, Mekus Tanager designed the space to meet LEED-CI Silver certification standards. Examples of sustainable design solutions include: increasing the original building’s 62,000 usable square-feet by 20,000 USF (to 82,000 USF) while maintaining the original building footprint; upgrading the buildings HVAC and electrical systems to energy efficient ones, and the purchasing of green-energy credits.