PROJECTS
At night , the illuminated wood used to build T3 glows through the exterior openings .
The entire timber structure of T3 was intentionally left exposed , in order to highlight the natural beauty of the wood .
The project is an investment in both the past and future of Minneapolis and in the Warehouse District ’ s rich history . The design objective for T3 was to build on the character of the past with a modern perspective . As businesses look to new competitive models to attract staff , the goal for T3 is to provide a warm and inviting environment that attracts and retains employers and employees .
T3 , which stands for ‘ Timber , Technology , Transit ’, offers 224 000 square feet ( about 22 297m 2 ) of office and retail space . Over 3 600m 3 of exposed mass timber columns , beams and floor slabs recall the heavy timber construction of the building ’ s predecessors . T3 ’ s modern technological approach uses engineered wood components – chiefly glulam and nail laminated timber ( NLT ) – for the roof , floors , columns and beams and furniture . A significant amount of the lumber used to fabricate the NLT comes from trees killed by the mountain pine beetle . These modern materials bring the warmth and beauty of wood to the interior and promote a healthy indoor environment for occupants .
// FEB / MARCH 2017 29