Par for the concourse Travelers passing through the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport can turn layovers into shopping experiences at the terminal's redesigned retail component, Northstar Crossings. In its previous incarnation, the space failed to engross the 80,000 passengers passing through the airport each day. When ownership decided a redevelopment was in order, an image and tenant repositioning strategy took off. In the category of Renovated Enclosed Centers, Architectural Alliance, Minneapolis, was awarded the 2000 SADI for its design of the project.
The design team's mission was to mold an appealing shopping environment out of the existing retail concourse's utilitarian space. The redevelopment included the removal of freestanding retail islands, which improved sight lines and passenger circulation. Storefronts on both sides of the concourse were expanded and food and beverage tenants were relocated into a new food court that had been reclaimed from underutilized space. Storefront criteria promoted a distinct tenant image and a three-dimensional signage projection, creating an animated streetscape of storefronts that complement the common area.
Custom light sconces and chandeliers, new perforated ceiling finishes, light colored natural materials, custom signage and specialty components transformed the area from a drab, institutional setting into a snappy retail environment.
AWARD RECIPIENT ARCHITECTURAL ALLIANCE Minneapolis, Minn. architecturalalliance.com
CLIENT NORTHSTAR CROSSINGS RETAIL DEVELOPMENT St. Paul, Minn. Product Manufacturers/Suppliers: Minuti-Ogle Co. Inc., Oakdale, Minn. (veneer plaster); Twin City Tile & Marble Co., St. Paul, Minn. (stone tile floors); Twin City Acoustics, New Hope, Minn. (metal plank ceiling system); Harmon Contract, Minneapolis (glass railings and glazing); A LaPointe Sign Inc., Minneapolis (signage); Plantscape Inc., Eden Prairie, Minn. (silk plants); Area Mechanical Inc., West St. Paul, Minn. (mechanical); Tile X Design, Plymouth, Minn. (stone tile floors); Luxalon Architectural Products, Norcross, Ga. (metal plank ceilings); Pietra Bella, Minneapolis (stone floor mosaics); Andrea Myklebust, Minneapolis (artist); Shaper Lighting, Richmond, Calif. (custom light fixtures); Acoustical Development Corp., St. Joseph, Mo. (acoustical phone booths)