Discovery Square Two Is Designed for Partnership
Medtech offices tend to be cold and clinical. But the lobby of Discovery Square Two in Rochester circumvents that stereotype with a modern gas fireplace that’s always burning, cozy seating areas, independent and group workspace, a café, and an inviting courtyard.
This is the second building in a three-part project designed to support medical research and connect Mayo Clinic to the University of Minnesota Rochester and other businesses looking to work with the hospital system. Developer Mortenson brought in Studio BV to design the common areas of the 125,000-square-foot building, which was completed in 2024. The Minneapolis-based firm’s founder and CEO, Betsy Vohs, says she approached the project with connection in mind and the idea of a “collaborative hub” for tenants, students, and the broader community.
Contemporary leather armchairs and comfy sofas in vibrant sky blue provide a soft contrast to concrete floors and soaring ceilings with visible ductwork painted white. With flexible work areas around it, locally run Café Steam, serving coffee and waffles, anchors the space and makes it a destination.
Hosting gatherings for tenants and the community was also a priority, so the Studio BV team created flexible conference rooms with movable walls and room for at least 100 to convene. The meeting room ceiling features custom wood baffles in a dynamic pattern for a sense of movement and warmth.
Huge floor-to-ceiling windows connect the building to the courtyard, another gathering area, with modern built-in benches, plants, and lounge seating. “The courtyard design was integral to this experience and serves as a breakout space to host gatherings and events,” Vohs says. “We wanted users to maximize the outdoor experience.”
Overall, Vohs says she wanted to create a comfortable, inviting space where people could work and meet without feeling crowded.
“This community has really embraced the building, and it really is a place people feel comfortable at any point in their life,” Vohs says. “That’s what good design should do.”
What: Discovery Square Two
Where: 415 Second Ave. SW, Rochester
Size: 40,000 square feet (lobby area)
Designer: Studio BV
