SERA Architects, Old Town Chinatown Headquarters

Fortis’ expansion of SERA Architects’ office on the second floor of the historic Minnesota Hotel Building consisted of a seismic upgrade to the building, a complete reconfiguration of the second floor to accommodate new workstations and the installation of an interior feature staircase. The new 8,400sf expansion was directly above SERA’s existing location. The project is LEED Gold Certified; unique green features include the reclaimed wood treads and landings used on the new stairs, recycled interior doors and individually controlled dimming light fixtures. The expansion also incorporated a seismic upgrade to bring the building into UBC compliance. Seismic elements included structural brace frames, shotcrete concrete shear walls, diaphragm enhancement to the floor system, drag struts and strapping of the existing wood floor to exterior walls. The new space has the look and feel of a studio loft, designed for maximum use and efficiency. Work stations are arranged perpendicular to the main windows so everyone has visual contact to daylight.