UMN Collaborative Commons
UMN Collaboration Commons
University of Minnesota
A Forgotten Space, Purpose-Built
Client
University of Minnesota — Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering
Location
Minneapolis, Minnesota — University of Minnesota Campus
Space Type
Higher education — student collaboration + departmental front door
Scope
~750 sq ft transformation of an underused glass-walled “fishbowl” into a multi-mode collaboration hub — lounge, reception desk, and review zone — on a focused budget that retained the existing shell and systems.
THE SPACE BEFORE
Everyone on the corridor and mezzanine could see into this glass-walled room. Nobody stopped. It had no identity, no clear purpose, and no reason for students or faculty to choose it over anywhere else. For an engineering department, it was a visibility problem hiding in plain sight — a front door that didn’t say anything about the people or the work behind it.
THE DESIGN DIRECTION
The department wanted this space to become their welcome — the first thing people see and the place students naturally land. It had to shift modes quickly: advising one hour, small-team collaboration the next, seminar-style review after that. And it had to happen within the existing shell, on a tight budget, without rebuilding thresholds or replacing systems. Every dollar had to land where people actually feel it.
WHAT WE WORKED WITH (AND AROUND)
Making the fishbowl an invitation instead of an exhibit. We turned the corridor-facing glass into a signature statement — department language and colors applied so the space reads as active and purposeful from the outside. People see people working, not an empty room with good bones.
A room with no story. The engineering department does remarkable work, and none of it was visible. We pulled from their own publications and turned them into large-format project photography — cityscapes, research sites, built work — mounted against a deep charcoal backdrop for contrast and clarity. The department’s work became the room’s identity. Students now linger at the murals connecting coursework to real projects.
750 square feet, three distinct modes. We organized the plan into a welcoming lounge, a centered reception and help desk with a lowered service surface for accessibility, and a review zone with a full whiteboard wall. Mobile tables and wipeable seating let the space pivot in minutes. Clear circulation routes keep it intuitive no matter the configuration.
A budget that demanded discipline. We kept the concrete coffers, doors, ductwork, and existing lighting. The spend went where students and faculty touch the space every day: patterned carpet tile to mask traffic, warm wood casework for storage and welcome, selective paint to balance light and reduce whiteboard glare, and fresh plantings for comfort. Graphics were aligned to the mullion rhythm so everything feels cohesive rather than applied.
THE OUTCOME
Foot traffic and drop-ins are up. Reviews start faster because the space is ready when people are. Resets between modes take moments, not a facilities request. Faculty report that impromptu meetings happen more naturally now — the room invites it.
What was once a pass-by is now the Collaboration Commons — a visible, everyday forum that gives the engineering department a front door worthy of the work happening behind it. In 750 square feet, on a focused budget, this space proves that transformation doesn’t require a massive footprint. It requires intention.
RECOGNITION
Award-Winning Project — ASID Minnesota, First Place