THE BLAISDELL
Commercial
Adaptive Reuse
An adaptive re-use of a former Minneapolis Boys Club blends history and modern digital design creating an elegant wedding-event center.

This building began its life as the Bovey mansion, a stately Georgian-style residence constructed in 1915. The front door features intricate columns and leads into tall ceilings trimmed in dental crow-moldings and ornate base details. In the 1950’s, a large two-story gymnasium and commercial kitchen were added transforming the building. As the first Boys Club it offered Minneapolis’s youth a safe and positive place to learn and play. The empty building presented another opportunity for reinvention.  

Both halves of the building retained a polarity between historic luxury and mid-century utility. The design solution for this event center respects contrast. New modern detailing elevates the gymnasium by featuring natural daylight filtered through contemporary metal screens. The effect creates a dance of light within the large gathering hall. Using CNC technology, the team transformed a gymnasium into a refined modern experience. The brick house was restored to its original character and provides areas for smaller gatherings and regal bridal suites. People walk into the large event space passing through a dark monolithic wood wall. The simple material matches the texture and color of the original hardwood and frames a portal into a world of celebration.  

The original grand stair is restored. All the surfaces are painted white to enliven the space, while dark oak floors provide strong contrast.
Weaving together
digital design, history, and light.
Curving elegant woodwork was a historical feature in many Georgian-Colonial homes of the time.
The design team worked with local artists to develop a modern art collection similar to the modernist paintings created during the time of the original home.
Lighting, furniture, and modern art respect the historical elements of the house. The original dining room transitions into a luxurious bridal suite, making a special day for anyone getting married.
The original parlor has been renovated into a wonderful space for cocktail hours or smaller events.
As guests approach the event space, they walk from the historic home into the modern gathering hall. A massive wood wall separates the two spaces. This is the threshold between historic preservation and modern architecture.
Massive double six-foot doors swing open creating the sense of entering a special space.
The contrast of the wood wall is a striking feature against a simple clean modern room. The ceiling hovers above creating an ethereal effect while providing all the technology needed for a large event.
Storage is hidden behind the richly stained white oak. Museum-like detailing, creates a space where focus can be given to the important events shaping memories.
A tasteful, modern bar and catering kitchen sit outside the main hall. The serving counter can be closed off or opened depending on the occasion.
ACM metal panels were CNC routed using abstracted images of the Swimming Pool by Matisse. The artist created the work the same year the house was constructed and invokes a sense of dynamic flow. Different LED effects shine above at night. Skylights above wash filtered daylight through the space during the day.
The banquet hall seats 250 people and can be set up numerous ways to accommodate many types of events. A crisp ceiling plan hovers over the simple space creating a sense of drama.
Lighting, audio, projection area all concealed in the ceiling allowing the space to remain clean and frames any event prominently.
Multi-Family
Mass
Timber
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lowrise /
high-density
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Tri-Plex
Single-Family
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Master
PLanning
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High Rise
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adaptive reuse
farmstead
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Infill
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Cabin
urban
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Landscape
E-Book
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