Keep exploring HGA in Minnesota. This page brings together more stories from our Minneapolis and Rochester teams, including project updates, community involvement, team milestones, and office culture moments from across the region.
HGA included on MN Physician Healthcare Honor Roll
Two HGA healthcare projects, one honor: the Allina Health Richard M. Schulze Surgical and Critical Care Center and the Astera Health/CentraCare Coborn Cancer Center were both named to Minnesota Physician Publishing’s 2026 Health Care Architecture & Design Honor Roll.
One is the largest construction project in Allina Health’s history. The other reimagined cancer care access for the Wadena region in just 15,300 square feet.
Both designed with the people who’d use them every day at the center of the process.
Congrats to the teams!
HGA tours Abbott Northwestern Hospital for ASHE Conference
Experience healthcare design in action at the Healthcare Facilities Innovation Conference by American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE)
Join HGA’s Krista Biason, P.E.; Terri Zborowsky; and Jeffrey Harris, PE , for the “Excellence in Action Tour: Richard M. Schulze Surgical and Critical Care Center” at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Allina Health.
Walk through the new Care Pavilion Tower and see how 192 private beds, 52 interventional suites, advanced infrastructure systems, and smart technologies like automated TUGS robots come together to support patient care, operations, and flexibility.
HGA & AIA Minnesota Young Architects Award
Two HGA architects, two different paths to the same recognition. Michael Hara turns history and craft into enduring design. Kaitlin Joan Schalow, AIA, LFA turns community engagement into systems-level change.
Both are now 2026 AIA Minnesota Young Architect Award recipients—and both are exactly the kind of leadership our profession needs more of. Congratulations to both of these rising stars! Check out all 6 honorees here.
HGA & Urban Roots
Recently, our HGA team—including our talented summer interns—spent the morning at Rivoli Bluffs, rolling up our sleeves to weed and harvest garden beds that help provide fresh, locally grown produce to the community.
Despite the summer heat, everyone brought incredible energy, enthusiasm, and teamwork, pitching in wherever help was needed. It was a rewarding opportunity to connect with one another while supporting a local effort that makes fresh, healthy food more accessible.
We’re proud to represent HGA’s commitment to Community Action in the Minneapolis region and grateful for opportunities to give back alongside organizations making a meaningful impact in our communities.
HGA Sponsors Mia’s Landmark “Paris Couture” Exhibition
HGA is proud to sponsor Paris Couture, a landmark exhibition opening this fall at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia).
Featuring more than 80 rare haute couture masterpieces from the renowned Palais Galliera, the Paris Fashion Museum, the exhibition offers visitors an extraordinary opportunity to experience some of the world’s most celebrated fashion designs—from historic works to contemporary creations by iconic fashion houses including Dior, Balenciaga, Chanel, and Schiaparelli. The exhibition runs October 4, 2026, through January 17, 2027, and marks a once-in-a-decade opportunity to experience these works in Minneapolis.
As a sponsor, HGA is honored to support an exhibition that celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and design excellence. Through our Arts + Culture practice, we partner with museums, performing arts organizations, libraries, and cultural institutions to create places that inspire curiosity, foster connection, and enrich communities. Supporting Paris Couture reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing arts and culture throughout the Twin Cities and beyond.
Josh Stowers to speak at Air Force Mentor Workshops
The hardest part of federal work for small businesses often happens long before the RFP is released. HGA’s Government Market Sector Leader, Josh Stowers, AIA, LEED AP, will present “What Primes Wish Small Businesses Knew” during the Air Force Mentor‑Protégé Program workshops across Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, and Tinian from July 12–25, 2026.
His session focuses on how large primes evaluate risk, what they look for in subcontractors, and how trust, compliance, and clear communication shape teaming decisions in the Indo‑Pacific.
Groundbreaking at Sisters of Saint Benedict’s Monastery!
Groundbreaking day for the Sisters of Saint Benedict’s Monastery! This new net zero energy-ready home will consolidate the Sisters’ community under one roof for the first time, with a circular chapel designed to reflect equality, unity, and shared participation. From mass timber construction to a century-long design lifespan, every detail honors Benedictine values of community, stewardship, and hospitality. Congratulations to the Sisters on this exciting milestone.
CentraCare launches new Medical School in Rural Minnesota
Rural Minnesota has a doctor shortage. CentraCare and the University of Minnesota Medical School are doing something about it—and we’re proud to have helped build the space where it’s happening.
CentraCare CEO, Dr. Ken Holmen, has been vocal about the scale of the problem: rural Minnesota communities are facing a severe shortage of physicians, with the gap only expected to widen as more rural doctors near retirement. His answer? Train doctors where they’re needed most.
Read more about this story here.
HGA and Goat Shine!
Employee Appreciation Week!
What a night at Target Field! 🎉 This month, our Minneapolis team gathered to celebrate the culmination of Employee Appreciation week with the Founders’ Award — and the evening delivered on all fronts: beautiful weather, great food, and even better company. We honored an incredible group of milestone anniversaries, including Annette Hardy’s remarkable 40 years with HGA.
Congratulations to finalists Maggie Allexsaht, Michelle Hammer, and Glenn Waguespack — and a special congratulations to this year’s Founders’ Award winner, Glenn Waguespack!
Scott Aspenson joins HGA
Scott Aspenson, AIA, NCARB, has joined HGA as a Principal in the Minneapolis office, where he will focus on expanding new business opportunities within the community, workplace, and government markets.
He has more than 20 years of architecture and team leadership experience working on a range of building types nationally, including corporate, community, civic, and education. He is known for building collaborative relationships with industry colleagues, allied professionals, and clients to deliver sustainable, high-quality design solutions.
Minneapolis Summer Interns
Summer is in full swing at HGA’s Minneapolis office — and so is intern season. This year’s cohort of summer interns took a break from the studio to catch a Minnesota Twins game at Target Field, trading their desks for the bleachers for an afternoon.
It was a great chance to connect outside of work, soak up some sun, and experience one of Minneapolis’s favorite summer traditions together. We love seeing the next generation of designers and thinkers settle into the city they’re spending their summer in.
HGA wins 2 National AIA Awards
Two national AIA awards for our Arts + Culture team—a COTE Top Ten Award for Marlboro Music Reich Hall and an Interior Architecture Award for History Jackson Hole | Jackson Hole History Museum.
Both projects deliver something truly special for the communities they call home. One finds harmony between a Vermont landscape and the act of making music. The other holds a Wyoming community’s history without flattening it. This is the kind of work that reminds me why design matters.
HGA and Ruff Start Puppies
Recently, the HGA Minneapolis office hosted a mental health break with a special visit from Ruff Start Rescue, a local nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and rehoming dogs in need. Employees took a welcome pause from their workday to spend time with adorable, adoptable puppies, with plenty of smiles, laughter, and puppy snuggles all around. It was a great reminder of the importance of taking time to recharge—and a fun way to support a wonderful local organization.
HGA at IDEA Conference
HGA is proud to contribute to Cordia’s district energy transformation in Minneapolis. At the 2026 International District Energy Association (IDEA) Conference, the team will present how advanced instrumentation, hydraulic modeling, and AI-powered analytics support reliable, secure, and cost-effective operations at Energy Center Minneapolis, serving over 100 downtown customers.
Sophie Kjeldgaard Recognized by Interior Design Magazine as HiP Sustainability Leader
Congratulations to Sophie Kjeldgaard on receiving the 2026 INTERIOR DESIGN HiP Award for Greater Good at NeoCon in Chicago.
The HiP Awards celebrate the people and products shaping what’s next in design, recognizing leadership, innovation, and industry impact. Throughout her career, Sophie has been a passionate advocate for sustainable materials, material transparency, and design education. From helping guide HGA’s sustainability initiatives and AIA Materials Pledge reporting to developing resources that support healthier material selection, her work continues to influence projects, teams, and the profession as a whole.
This recognition reflects Sophie’s dedication to creating positive change through design and advancing a more sustainable future for the industry.
Noah Exum – Speaks at HKS Thrive
HGA’s Noah Exum will speak at HKS Thrive on June 10 as part of the firm’s “Moments That Shape Us” series, hosted by the Pride ERG.
Through personal storytelling and professional reflection, Noah will share how lived experiences have shaped his career and discuss how HGA integrates equity into practice to create meaningful outcomes for clients, communities, and colleagues.
Blake Early Learning Center – IIDA Northland Tour
Join IIDA Northland on June 17 for a tour of the ID Awards Grand Winner, Blake Early Learning Center.
Hear from HGA’s Michelle Hammer and Nate Madson as they share the story behind this innovative, child-centered learning environment designed to inspire curiosity, joy, and growth.
Sophie Kjeldgaard is a HiP Finalist
We’re thrilled to announce that Sophie Kjeldgaard has been named a finalist for the Interior Design Magazine HiP Awards!
The HiP Awards recognize the people and ideas shaping the future of design — honoring creativity, innovation, and meaningful impact across the industry. We’re incredibly proud to see Sophie’s work celebrated alongside so many inspiring individuals and teams who are making a difference through design.
This recognition is a reflection of the talent and passion she brings to our team every day. Congratulations, Sophie!
HGA & Little Bit Better
Our Rochester HGA staff teamed up with the community program Little Bit Better to help clean the walking and bike paths along the river. Together, we picked up litter, helped keep local trails beautiful, and supported a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone who enjoys our riverfront paths. Small actions can make a big impact in our community!
Jackson Hole History Museum Expansion Earns Buildy Award
The Jackson Hole History Museum’s expansion began not in a design studio but with a community rallying to “Save the Block” for public use. That grassroots energy shaped a reimagined civic and cultural hub centering local history, Indigenous partnerships, and shared public space — work recently recognized with a Buildy Award. The project team included HGA, Prospect Studio, Gallagher & Associates, ACM, and Berning Project Management, alongside extensive collaboration with the Eastern Shoshone and Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.
Realizing that vision required a structural strategy as considered as the cultural one. A steel and mass timber hybrid responded to both the remote site’s material sourcing challenges and high-seismic design requirements, while helical pile foundations paired with traditional spread footings minimized disruption to adjacent businesses and park spaces. The project also included a seismic retrofit of a nearly 80-year-old log cabin — now part of the museum’s immersive visitor experience — where retrofit elements were carefully woven into the cabin’s historic aesthetics to balance safety with preservation.
HGA Softball is back!
The HGA Minneapolis office isn’t just designing great spaces — they’re also building a dynasty on the softball diamond.
This summer, our MPLS team is back competing in the Minneapolis Architecture Softball League, and after a rocky start, things are heating up fast.
The season opened May 4 with a wild 15–14 loss that proved one thing: we absolutely know how to swing a bat. Game two ended in a gritty 9–9 tie against LHB. And then our last game? HGA delivered a statement 15–1 win that had the dugout buzzing. This is what culture looks like at HGA Minneapolis — showing up, competing hard, and having a lot of fun doing it.
HGA Celebrates Earth Day
Our Minneapolis team believes great design extends beyond our studio walls — and this Earth Day, they proved it.
For the second year in a row, HGA MPLS gathered for our annual boulevard planting and trash pickup as part of World Landscape Architecture Month. Volunteers cleaned up, planted, seeded, and chalked their way through the afternoon — fueled by good energy (and great pizza).
This event is part of the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District’s Adopt a Rain Garden Program, and reflects HGA’s ongoing commitment to a vibrant, thriving downtown. Brought to life in partnership with our Sustainability and Community Action teams, it’s a reminder that caring for our community is part of who we are.
Proud of this team for showing up — not just to design a better world, but to get outside and help build one.
HGA at the Timmay 5K
Our Rochester staff was proud to participate in the Timmay 5K in support of The Tim Rasmusson Foundation. This meaningful event brings the community together to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation while honoring lives impacted by donation and transplant journeys. We’re grateful to support a cause that promotes hope, generosity, and lifesaving awareness. Money raised goes to the Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester, Minnesota.
Tamar Ribnick Moves into Leadership Role
Tamar Ribnick, WELL AP, NCIDQ, has stepped into a new role as Community + Live Market Sector Leader at HGA, bringing deep expertise in designing environments that connect people through social, spiritual, recreational, and educational activities. Her career as an Interior Design Principal has included complex projects spanning workplaces, community centers, libraries, and civic buildings — all rooted in how design shapes enduring places.
Her appointment is part of HGA’s strategic plan to align expertise across eight sectors, strengthening both business development and interdisciplinary collaboration. In the piece, Tamar shares her vision for the Community + Live market and her optimism about design as a foundation for positive, lasting community experiences.
HGA is #15 on the Twin Cities Business Journal List for Engineering
The numbers are only part of the equation. HGA‘s recognition as the #15 engineering firm in the Twin Cities by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (MSPBJ) reflects the collective effort behind our work.
Licensed engineers are a critical part of that story, but so are the teams coordinating projects, supporting clients, shaping proposals, and helping deliver impactful spaces across communities. Grateful to be part of a team that continues to push meaningful work forward together.
HGA at ASHE Region 6
At the recent ASHE Region 6 conference HGA’s Megan Zak and Ryan Hunwardsen presented on How a Facility Conditions Assessment Enables Strategic Decision-Making. Also, Krista Biason, Jennifer Klund, and Jeff Harris presented on Sustainability Track Start with Net Zero, End with Progress. Thanks for representing HGA Engineering at the conference!
HGA wins 3 EDRA CORE Awards
The Design Insight Group at HGA has received three 2026 EDRA CORE recognitions—the Environmental Design Research Association‘s Certificate of Research Excellence—one of our industry’s most rigorous standards for evaluating research impact.
The recognized studies span emergency department resilience at Froedtert ThedaCare Health, student well-being and belonging at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Student Union, and sustainable behavior in a passively cooled residence at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center.
Each study represents something we believe deeply: that great design is informed by evidence, tested against outcomes, and built to keep learning. Congratulations to the full study teams across all three projects.
Quick Take with Sarah Jorczak
As HGA’s National Structural Engineering Practice Leader, Sarah Jorczak brings over 25 years of experience guiding an interdisciplinary approach that blends structural engineering and architecture from project kickoff through construction — delivering buildings that are efficient, technically sound, sustainable, and beautiful. She champions a culture of innovation within HGA’s structural practice, leveraging the firm’s internal microgrant program to advance emerging technologies like mass timber, modular construction, hybrid structural systems, and AI-assisted design.
Sarah emphasizes that clients benefit not just from one perspective, but from a deep bench of passionate experts whose knowledge continuously builds across the practice. Looking ahead, she remains focused on lower carbon design, expanding mass timber into unexpected building types, and pushing new techniques in modular construction — all driven by a belief that curiosity, grit, and collaboration are what move the profession forward.
HGA wins at ASLA-MN
Our work on Normandale Community College’s (NCC) campus took home a Merit Award in Planning and Urban Design at this year’s ASLA-MN Awards Gala.
This interdisciplinary project was borne out a multi-year partnership with NCC to assess campus-wide water use and propose a strategy for reductions. Congratulations to the team!
Quick Take with Michael Anderson
Michael Anderson, AIA, is a Principal in HGA’s Government practice with over a decade of experience delivering complex projects — from secure land ports of entry to courthouses — frequently in partnership with the GSA. He champions a collaborative, integrated approach to design-build delivery, pushing teams beyond the industry default of designers and builders working in silos to instead build on each other’s strengths and maintain clear, continuous communication throughout.
As government agencies navigate consolidation, funding shifts, and delivery reform, Michael emphasizes HGA’s ability to adapt with empathy and purpose — remaining a trusted partner no matter how uncertain the environment. Looking ahead, he’s focused on the upcoming completion of the U.S. Courthouse Fort Lauderdale and the strategic growth of HGA’s Government practice through expanded partnerships and new expertise.