Fox Rothschild HQ Gets Modern-Industrial Makeover
Fox Rothschild’s challenge to national architecture and design firm FCA: Shrink the law firm’s downtown Minneapolis office from 10 floors to two, going from 100,000 square feet to just under 40,000. But make it feel airy and modern.
“With a major shift toward hybrid and collaborative work, along with the firm’s shift from a paper to digital filing system, the team at Fox Rothschild decided it was time to downsize and update their office to reflect the national firm’s updated space standards across the country,” says Lisa Patusky, a staff interior designer at FCA, which has offices from New York to Orlando.
The new Fox Rothschild office suite, on floors 36 and 37 of City Center, balances natural wood and stone elements with black steel accents. The goal, says Patusky, was to create a “modern industrial” aesthetic that feels warm and elegant.
One of the most significant changes: cutting the size of private workspaces in half, to 500 square feet per attorney, with space for attorneys visiting from other offices in the center of the rectangular floor plan.
FCA worked around the space’s low overhead lights and existing ducting, creating the illusion of more height with an open ceiling, overlaid with warm wood and flowing felt baffles. Japanese-style fabric pendant lights hang from the beams over a lobby lounge area featuring contemporary gray and white seating. A marble reception desk is the centerpiece of the lobby, bringing together all the design elements with a swirl of browns and grays.
Like most post-pandemic office updates, the new layout prioritizes gathering areas. There’s a large cafe with skyline views and a mix of seating options: tables, booths, and sofas, plus high-top chairs around the bar area. The office features smaller lounge areas designed for informal meetings and individual breaks.
“Various work and social spaces give employees the option to determine where and how they’d like to work when coming into the office,” says Michelle Vassie, FCA’s project interior designer. “This moves away from the traditional hierarchical structure of cubicles and corner offices, encouraging a truly collaborative environment.”
Who: Fox Rothschild LLP
Where: City Center, 33 S. Sixth St., Suite 3600, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Size: 39,750 square feet
Designer: FCA
Read more from this issue
