In March, HGA project collaborations reached key milestones in three major cities. In San Francisco, a tower crane arrived on-site for the new research and academic building at the University of California San Francisco. In Cleveland, we celebrated a topping-off at Case Western Reserve University. Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, our team is actively shaping the future of downtown. Read on to learn more about these exciting milestones, developments, and more:
Completed Project
McCarthy Building Companies’ new office in the bustling Financial District of San Francisco is a dynamic right-sized workspace designed for flexibility, collaboration, and construction excellence. Situated on the 19th floor with panoramic views of the city and close to public transportation, the modern hub reflects McCarthy’s core values while enhancing accessibility and sustainability. HGA partnered with McCarthy to assess the company’s current needs and future growth, prioritizing spaces that support an expanding headcount and mobile workforce. An open layout features touchdown areas, huddle spaces, a flexible boardroom, and a central breakroom, supporting the company’s “work anywhere together” philosophy. Infused with natural light, the new space includes warm wood finishes and natural tones, offering a distinct contrast to the city views, along with subtle nods to San Francisco’s character and McCarthy’s brand identity. Read more about the new, versatile office, a testament to the transformative power of collaboration, here.
Project Milestones
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio celebrated a major milestone with the topping-off of the HGA-designed Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building (ISEB). The new facility will bring together faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences, Case School of Engineering, and the School of Medicine to act as a catalyst for collaborative discovery and innovation. As the largest project on the Case Quad, ISEB plays a key role in advancing the university’s global research prominence across eight research themes. Construction partner, Discovery Builders—a joint venture between Turner Construction Company, Adrian Maldonado & Associates, Inc., Next Generation Construction, and The AKA Team—is bringing this vision to life. With its bold yet contextually thoughtful design, ISEB will serve as a dynamic campus gateway, offering an open, transparent, and welcoming presence to both the Case Quad and the broader Cleveland community. Learn more, here.
A major visual construction milestone is underway at the Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB) on the University of California San Francisco’s historic Parnassus Heights campus, with the tower crane now installed and operational. With only 10 cranes in the world that can perform the type of lifting operations needed for the construction, built in Germany and shipped to San Francisco, the vision is a monumental experience for the university and community. BRAB will house research programs in cancer, microbiology, diabetes, immunology, and cell biology. The facility will feature a skyway linking BRAB to the university’s Clinical Sciences Building and a publicly accessible green space connecting Golden Gate Park to the trails of Mount Sutro. A public overlook will offer breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Park & Bridge and Marin Headlands. BRAB is seeking LEED Gold certification and will be an all-electric building. Learn more here.
The City of Minneapolis’ 2035 Strategic Plan: “Downtown by Design” is a 10-year vision that will shape the future of downtown Minneapolis fostering innovation, inclusivity, and growth. HGA’s team of design anthropologists, innovation strategists, and architects have partnered with the Minneapolis Downtown Council (MDC) on the planning and activation of the plan through mixed-method research and outreach, analyzing travel patterns and surveying the community to gather a variety of experiences and perspectives, and comparing the findings with community and urban trends. HGA co-created visual renderings to reimagine key downtown projects and developed a community engagement framework to support the ongoing, adaptive implementation of the strategic plan, ensuring a dynamic and inclusive approach to shaping Minneapolis’s downtown future. The next step will involve forming implementation committees comprised of MDC members, key partners and other community leaders to drive progress and bring the plan’s vision to life. Learn more about how HGA will help to integrate the insights gained through the completed research, here.
Recently Photographed
The North American Meat Institute in Arlington, Virginia needed an office refresh and a cultural shift in their home of more than twenty years. HGA partnered with the Meat Institute staff in a series of visioning sessions to uncover the company’s goals around community, equity, and empowerment. With a hybrid staff, the company wanted to pull the in-person team together and open up portions of the office for collaboration and connectivity. The updated office includes full, glass-fronted offices and curved open workstations reinforcing transparency, equity and access within the organization. A large extension of the pantry strategically placed off the main entry, atrium, and large conference room is used for meetings, events, and open workspace for staff and the organizations members. Touches of warm woods and leathers, mixed with highly efficient lighting, use of recycled materials and a space flooded with natural light are tied together by the inclusion of the environmental graphics to highlight the organizations mission “Nourishing Today. Sustaining Tomorrow.”