Regional designers reimagine school spaces with flexible, inclusive, and future-ready furnishings that support modern learning and student success. Page 04 Page 10
Craftwell and InterOffice create a timeless, functional office space that feels as inviting as home.
Working collaboratively has always been part of the vision at Craftwell Architecture + Construction and was key, according to co-founder and principal architect Chris Hawley , in deciding to re-purpose space in downtown Fargo for new offices that would appeal to both their rapidly expanding staff and Craftwell’s diverse clientele. That spirit of cooperation was important to Chris and principal Mike Dawson when they chose InterOffice to outfit their office space and new event center.
CHRIS HAWLEY “
We love to repurpose. We love to reinvent. We love to combine.
Chris believes that from the start, InterOffice’s designer Jolynn Kaldor understood their love of timeless things that also needed to fit into the unique need of a design company: “Architects love aesthetics, but at the end of the day if it doesn’t function it doesn’t function, and that is the litmus test.”
Additionally, says Chris, the Craftwell ethos is to build around what they already have: “We love to repurpose. We love to reinvent. We love to combine.”
We’re like art collectors, but it just so happens that we sit in some of the art.
CHRIS HAWLEY
That sense of building on the past with an eye to the future was instrumental when they decided against building an entirely new office structure and instead re-invigorated a downtown Fargo building sitting empty since 2015. As a company committed to re-purposing and restoring, the principals at Craftwell didn’t want to choose furniture that contributed to the “throwaway culture.” Instead of replacing chairs and other materials every five years, Chris and Mike hoped to add to their assembly of office collectibles that stand the test of time both in design and comfort. As the son of a furniture maker, Chris notes that “quality furniture and workmanship is really important to our family, so if I’m going to buy this, I’m going to own it forever.”
InterOffice’s expertise and flexibility were key to outfitting the different needs for both the office spaces and events center. Chris particularly appreciated that InterOffice has access to a wide range of high-quality products and works collaboratively to adjust their process to client needs. In Craftwell’s case, this meant a trip to showrooms in Chicago because, says Chris “if we’re going to spend this kind of money, we should probably sit in this thing; we should probably touch and feel it because I don’t want to regret a decision for the next 20 or 30 years.”
Creating looks using stand-out pieces including Geiger Crosshatch chairs, MillerKnoll Nelson Cube sofa, and Eero Saarinen tables, InterOffice was able to assist Chris and Mike in finding furniture that had heirloom quality while also coordinating with what they already had on hand: “We assembled this package that feels so good together, but none of it was probably ever tended to be together until we did our project.” Chris also pointed out the value of having movable pieces that kept their designer’s work and meeting spaces flexible and adaptable.
Another key to Craftwell’s successful partnership with InterOffice was that the company doesn’t try to “oversell.” Instead, designers worked to create the envisioned ideal that provides Craftwell room to grow as needed but doesn’t outfit them with unnecessary items. In addition, the event center, which Craftwell knew would get heavier traffic, needed more robust materials that would still maintain their appearance; InterOffice found the answer in Palissade outdoor furniture.
I like things that feel they could be in your house just as well as they could be in your office.
CHRIS HAWLEY “
The “breath of fresh air” in moving Craftwell to its new downtown space has been extended by the design work that InterOffice has brought to their collaboration. For Chris and Mike to see their staff thriving in a new environment is gratifying: “Every morning you’ll see the day taking off, and you’ll see out of these four breakout rooms people having a discussion or a construction manager talking to a subcontractor. We’ve got some young families in the office, and sometimes daycare is closed, and so those little rooms become a little daycare pod for the day. And I think we’ve allowed for those things to exist and happen, and people feel like this is their home. That’s the idea.”
If you visualize your K-12 learning environments, chances are you would see the familiar desks, tables, chairs, and shelving recognizable to almost anyone who attended public school in the past 50 years. With the advent of newer models of instruction and more awareness of the individual
nature of learning styles, educational spaces are experiencing design shifts to accommodate more specific student and school needs. Regional school design consultants believe there are several key factors in updating school environments to be functional, safe, and sustainable.
Interior Designer Alex Neumann of Zerr Berg Architects says adaptability and flexibility of school areas is what drives today’s educational designers seeking “future-proof and timeless design.” He notes that schools are increasingly developing buildings with the idea that “any space that we’re creating within should be able to serve multi-functions - whether that be a classroom that can be adapted to whatever different subject might be being taught or more open areas that can be used to serve as many different uses as it possibly can.”
Becky Muller and Sarah Stromsodt, both designers for ICON Architectural Group , see trends towards openness in common space design; this allows for more fluid passing and interactions by students and encourages collaboration, socialization, and large-group functions all in the same area. For example, says Muller, a library does not need to be contained in a single enclosed room; rather, a school might have rolling book carts that can accommodate a dispersed media concept and encourage students to interact with books in their time between classes which is, she notes: “more of an impromptu situation and not such a forced interaction with a space.” This more spontaneous feel has been integrated in several schools in the area including Grand Forks Valley Middle School and Mandan High School where re-constructed media spaces incorporate robotics equipment, 3D printers, art on display, and other innovative technology.
Some schools, says Stromsodt, are also re-vamping their classroom spaces by leaving out storage and having teachers move between classrooms so that they “would be able to hotel at a desk in their staff lounge, but then come to each classroom and use it for that specific use of that hour or two-hour block.” Muller adds that less built-in classroom storage means more square footage for common areas and creates “more of these informal breakout spaces that give the students and staff opportunity to interact with each other.”
The move toward more open spacing to encourage social interaction is partially a result of what InterOffice Design Expert Sophie Scraper believes are pandemic-related changes: “Coming out of COVID we missed that opportunity to work with people because we obviously were either social distancing or we were at home, so in any public space that people are going to occupy, will need places where people can collaborate or just spend time together in.” Scraper also sees the alteration of school spaces as the result of educators constantly seeking to reach their students more effectively and says that a good classroom design can enhance that experience - a belief echoed by HON Business Development Manager Curtis Ritter who maintains: “We can provide teachers the right tools at their disposal to lead to better educational outcomes and let them feel good about what they’re doing every day.”
Anthony Simms, Public Sector Market Leader at MillerKnoll, says that schools are moving past the industrialized, rigid classroom spaces of the 20th century towards a model that recognizes the inherent neuro-diversity of 21st century learners. Classrooms, lunchrooms, and lounges are transitioning to look more like real-world environments and giving students more choices because, says Simms, “we want to treat you as adults. We want to put you in these environments where you have to make decisions.” Simms sees an advantage to schools where students are given the chance to develop their own paths of learning in a place that is inviting and engaging.
We make it very open and flexible for each hour to semester to years and being able to grow in that space 10 years down the line as well. “ SARAH STROMSODT
The ability to adapt school space is also showing up in the design of the furniture that area designers and experts see as key to creating the right educational environment. From options for seating in the lunchroom that go beyond the traditional fold-down tables to creating multiple classroom layouts with tables and desks, modular furniture has become a musthave for schools. ICON’s Becky Muller sees this particularly in common areas: “there are booths, high tops, low tops, banquettes, movable chairs” – options that give students and staff more possibilities to decide their level of engagement on a day-to-day basis.”
And HON’s Curtis Ritter highlights key shifts in classroom furniture design: “We’re seeing more demand for flexible seating – adjustableheight tables that let students sit, stand, or perch on a stool, and soft seating areas for comfort and engagement. Whether as a reward space or an alternative to rigid chairs, these options create more inclusive, dynamic learning environments.”
ALEX NEUMANN
Within seating design, says Sarah Stromsodt of ICON, are a multitude of more adaptable features - like being able to “sit in a chair backwards, sideways, rocking safely, not being able to fall over.” Additionally, there are small details like tactiles on the side of chairs to help students to stay focused, which are options not envisioned in school furniture even a decade ago. These small improvements all help with inclusivity in the classroom and provide room for accommodation to keep students working in the best possible learning circumstances.
Zerr Berg’s Alex Neumann notes that creating an environment people want to be in is key to creating better academic results:
“There are just so many more opportunities to bring in furniture that is unique and has kind of an appeal to students as far as making them feel like this is a cool, comfortable spot to drop down and do some homework.” Neuman also stresses the importance of incorporating accessibility features intentionally to “better accommodate whatever type of learning is taking place within that space.” Flexible seating and other trending classroom furniture options provide educators with the ability to offer one-to-one learning within the whole classroom and give students more chances at cooperative learning.
In addition to the shape of furniture and space, area experts stress that there are specific trends in color and texture that are following educational developments in making space more appealing and productive. InterOffice’s Sophie Scraper observes that the traditional primary colors often used in elementary grades are bright and fun, but they can also be distracting, notes MillerKnoll’s Anthony Simms, and most staff and students want to “just be in an environment where you’re not having to react to the colors that are in the room.”
Balancing color is something Alex Neumann also sees trending: “it’s trying to take a more timeless approach with finishes. So, it truly does end up being fairly neutral color palettes with an emphasis on school colors, but also trying to bring in more natural colors for future flexibility.”
Curtis Ritter notes that in addition to considering how colors can either add stimulation or have a calming effect, designers also look at the textures and materials of furnishing in creating inviting spaces: “there are fun things like Supreen textiles that still feel very soft, like a woven textile, but they have a backer applied, so they’re fluid permeation resistant. This is something that is totally affordable, and it’s designed with a school environment in mind where accidents or punctures may happen.”
Becky Muller adds that the concept of durability no longer means a hard surface without cushioning because now furniture manufacturers are more specific in targeting the grades and environments educational furniture will be used in.
We can make teachers’ lives better, administrators’ lives better, and students’ lives better just by doing this one thing.
CURTIS RITTER
Designers for educational spaces are very aware that school budgets have limitations, and purchases need to follow best current practices for education while avoiding becoming dated as newer considerations affect school environments. Curtis Ritter says that part of the HON ethos is to keep schools moving forward in the best available direction, but, he says: “we don’t want to be trendy to the point where this is something that’s very flash in the pan, and it’s going to be expensive to implement, or it won’t work for what comes next in education.”
As schools make a large investment, educational space experts recognize the responsibility to use resources wisely. That’s why, says Alex Neumann, it’s important to “give people a range of options where you don’t have the same chair times 400.” Considering those options often means visiting schools who have successfully implemented improvement plans or have undergone new construction. A key part to re-envisioning a space involves educating clients about possibilities with layouts, structures, and materials that did not previously exist, so that school decision makers are able to make informed choices. As schools see successful models of how effective design creates a better atmosphere for learning, they are more likely to try newer approaches.
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We have to not think about how we learned, but how our kids will learn.
BECKY MULLER
Another consideration, says Sophie Scraper, is thinking about all the different users of the space because the space needs to be “not only useful for students and teachers, but also the janitors who are cleaning - it just makes their job easier, too. So, I feel like these spaces, they’re just becoming more functional for all the people who are occupying them, whether they’re using the furniture or they’re helping maintain the furniture.”
Finally, says Curtis Ritter, designers are increasingly considering the environmental effects of products used: “we want it to last, but we also want our environment to last, so the impacts that we’re making on the environment shouldn’t take a backseat to making a product that stands up to the school.”
Educators and designers understand that not every student learns the same way, and now educational space is increasingly being adapted to recognize that learning foundation. In arrangement, shape, construction, color and feel – experts in school environments are working to reflect and reinforce the importance of making the most of students’ academic experience. Anthony Simms at MillerKnoll emphasizes that by avoiding the “one-size fits all solutions” and bringing in more elements from the outside gives students “a sort of a test environment for the real world that’s letting you make these choices” – choices that will help students develop as learners and be more successful in their next steps. HON’s Curtis Ritter echoes the sentiments of the committed designers working to create the best possible outcomes for area schools: “Good design leads to better health outcomes, and so for the future of our country, for the future of the workforce, whatever it may be, these are the future generations that will go into our world. Don’t we want to develop them the best that we can and set them up for success in their futures?”
Comfort and ergonomics matter in the classroom. Picking the right chair for your table or desk should be easy and seamless. When students are positioned correctly, learning begins. Ensure students have the right amount of knee space between the seat and the bottom of the table so arms can rest comfortably on top of the table and the knees form a 90° degree angle.
Recommended space from the chair seat to the underside of the table is 8”-11”
Go to hon.com/education to learn more about Education products.
Students don’t want to leave. They want to be here because it’s a cool space to sit and hang out.
MARK ANDRESEN
When the Mandan school district began planning a new high school, administrators knew that they had high expectations to meet in creating adequate teaching, planning, and gathering spaces, and choosing furniture that completed their vision was a key component. With input from their staff and other community stakeholders and help from InterOffice Workspace
Expert Hannah Nagel, Mandan High School principal Mark Andresen believes that what they’ve created together has quickly become a focal point for community pride: “we’ve set the bar pretty high for the next school in North Dakota to be built.”
Conversations and research started several years ago when a Mandan school team began considering what an educational environment could become. Andresen notes that in addition to logistical features, the staff explored: “how we’re going to use these areas, how they’re going to get managed, how they’re going to help kids, how they’re going to help education, how you can think differently about some of the things that we’ve got to offer with the new facility.” Out of that exploration came a commitment to making the new site fit current needs while keeping an eye on future development.
InterOffice helped the architects and school administrators complete their vision for an adjustable educational space with furnishings that are both ergonomically appropriate and inviting to look at. They filled the front office and lobby areas with flexible seating including Jax chairs from 9to5 Seating . Teacher prep rooms and classrooms were outfitted with Switchback Height Adjustable desks and mobile pedestals with a cushion seat from SitOnIt Seating for Flexibility during planning during planning and instruction. The conference room tables are surrounded by Novo chairs from SitOnIt Seating that provide lumbar support and comfort needed during long planning and workshop sessions.
Most exciting, says Andresen, are the expandable rooms throughout the school that allow teachers to do pull-out or entire class work or even combine classes as needed; these unique spaces also allow individual students to work collaboratively in small groups or with one-to-one instruction. This, he says, has made an appreciable impact on student conduct: “It’s allowed kids to spread out into different areas of the building reducing a lot of unnecessary negative behaviors.” The expandable rooms are proving so popular that a reservation list is now needed for their use: “And we’re just starting to scratch the surface on how we can use these spaces; next year when teachers are able to plan knowing what the building has to offer, it’s going to be better yet.” The school has also created an outdoor amphitheater and will complete its indoor auditorium and other smaller completion projects by next fall.
MARK ANDRESEN “
It makes you feel like you’re walking into a college campus.
The sense of optimism and enthusiasm the new space has provided for the entire Mandan community is what delights Andresen. After 30 years at Mandan High School, he appreciates the opportunity to let his district, staff, and students become a model for education with their re-imagined school design and believes that their work will mean increases in their school population for years to come. The collaborative effort by InterOffice, school staff, and administration has created an educational space that will continue to meet needs of their current population and will be able to anticipate future demands by staying flexible and creative.
To expand their Accelerated RN-to-BSN nursing program facilities, University of Jamestown knew that renovating their Fargo space needed expertise and experience with educational environments. Ramone Gumke, UJ’s Physical Plant Senior Director , was confident in the quality of InterOffice’s products and designers in creating multi-functional and practical spaces and knew he could rely on Workspace Expert Sarah Huckle to keep the new space’s look consistent with UJ standards and sensibilities.
To address nursing shortages in the area, University of Jamestown began offering accelerated programs in Fargo in the fall of 2024. UJ has partnered with Sanford Health to create a flexible educational opportunity for prospective nurses that allows them to balance work and school commitments while benefiting local healthcare systems. The new training space in Fargo includes a reception area, offices, classrooms, a conference room, and even lab space so that, according to Gumke: “instructors can simulate whatever medical emergency or condition through the software in the control room to practice responding accordingly.” The rigor required for nursing training means that classroom spaces need to be functional and sturdy to accommodate diverse needs while providing trainees and staff with a comfortable and attractive environment to work in.
RAMONE GUMKE “
They know what we’re looking for and what we want without having to ask.
Outfitting a modern conference room and class space that reflect UJ design standards also needed to be balanced with the financial needs of a nonprofit institution. University of Jamestown, notes Gumke, is committed to outfitting their facilities with quality furniture that is not disposable: “we don’t change things just simply to give it a fresh look. It gets freshened up and replaced when it is completely not usable anymore.” By choosing products from Herman Miller and HON Educational Furniture , InterOffice was able to give UJ the look, comfort, and sustainability they were seeking.
Sarah Huckle came into this project with the background and knowledge of what UJ needed, and that, says Gumke, was a distinct advantage because “we’re using the same model and style as a lot of the furniture that’s been replaced in recent years here on campus.” As an expert who already knew the aesthetics and type of material that worked best for University of Jamestown in prior projects, Sarah was able to guide this latest furniture selection that started with a complete demolition and rebuild of the existing space. The newest addition to UJ in Fargo includes a reception area with guest seating and reception desk from Tayco , classrooms that can double as workrooms with Herman Miller tables and chairs , and a large-group conference room with ergonomic chairs by SitOnIt for comfort.
University of Jamestown is working to make nursing education more accessible, and the new facility with offices, classrooms, and labs means that non-traditional students have an increased opportunity at a nursing career and the chance to help alleviate current shortages in the area. With the expertise of InterOffice, the Fargo space maintains the standards and quality expected at UJ, and it is hoped that with this expansion, local communities will continue to see the benefits for years to come.
RAMONE GUMKE “
It very closely mimics the feel of our campus.
HOLLY SCHAEFFER “
Now our marketing is right on brand with the building.
As the only polytechnic educational facility in the region, Bismarck State College prides itself on embodying its manifesto: Done Right. They know their graduates have access to unique learning paths with hands-on opportunities that make them work-ready with credentials and degrees in over 100 possible careers. BSC recently opened their newest building, the Advanced Technology Center designed by ICON Architectural Group furnished by InterOffice. The center is a three-story facility that features two flex labs, a live event venue, a digital hive, a black-box theater, and a security operations center. BSC’s Marketing and Creative Design Manager Holly Schaeffer says that from construction to interior design to furniture selection, the project was “done right.”
One advantage of polytechnic education is the focus on work-integrated learning that allows students to be workforce-ready at graduation. By combining university-level theory with applied learning, students leave BSC with industry-recognized credentials, certifications, and apprenticeship options. And many of the programs serve as a compliment to each other. For example, notes Schaeffer, a commercial driver’s license can also be used by linemen or by students looking for heavy equipment operator certification, “so CDL which is part of our continuing education department is feeding multiple programs.” That adaptability of program resources was important in the design and execution of the new building.
And it’s for every student….from theater to manufacturing.
HOLLY SCHAEFFER
“So it was exciting,” says Schaeffer, “to see the flexibility created in every part of the new center, which can now accommodate any type of training needed – including robotics and heavy equipment which means students will get to actually work on equipment that came straight from industry.” Schaeffer and the BSC design team appreciated InterOffice Workspace Expert Hannah Nagel’s guidance in helping them craft a look that was both adaptive and inviting. Creating a space that needed to accommodate so many different types of career training was a challenge, says Schaeffer, but Hannah was able to provide options to accommodate their unique needs including pulling together the school’s color palette and reinforcing ICON’s design elements The furniture for the open lobby area and third-floor conference rooms was chosen with flexibility in mind. Featuring a variety of seating areas, including products such as Pasea Seating from SitOnIt gives the students the power to choose where they work and study best. The new center allows students and staff casual drop-in opportunities and dedicated rooms for collaboration.
The new technology center also has its own coffee shop and a live event center with one of the largest event screens in the state. The over-size entry doors mean the large-capacity space can move between TED-Talk style presentations and an exhibit hall by utilizing collapsible seating. ICON guided the choice of lighting, and furniture, and even helped keep the hexagonal elements of BSC’s marketing in the tilework and windows while InterOffice helped the new center stay on brand with their selection of furniture. A large mural in the hallway has a timeline showing the origins of BSC, from its beginnings as part of the high school system to its years as Bismarck Junior College and finally to its current iteration as North Dakota’s Polytechnic Institute. The mural reinforces the vision come to life in their collaboration with ICON and InterOffice to make their Advanced Technology Center a centerpiece for their campus.
BSC students and staff have been quick to enjoy the atmosphere and adaptive features of the new center and are finding additional opportunities for hands-on learning within the new building. Mass Communication students are working in the audio/ visual space; welding and designers have helped craft bitcode onto some of the center’s panels; and everyone on campus is enjoying the inviting atmosphere in what Schaeffer says is now “the heart of campus.” The dedication to “done right” in every element of the student learning experience is what BSC believes will continue to make it a driving educational force in North Dakota.
The overall focus was to create a space where business, industry, and students can connect.
Fargo
1630 1st Ave N Suite A, Fargo, ND 58102
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Phone: (701) 232-3013
920 E Front Ave, Bismarck, ND 58504
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Phone: (701) 751-2998
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Years of experience in the industry:
I interned at InterOffice while finishing my senior year at NDSU in 2022 and have been working in the industry full-time for three years now.
Areas of design concentration:
My areas of focus are Corporate offices, Education, and every once in awhile I get to do a residential project.
Favorite products or furniture pieces:
I love the Saarinen tables from Knoll. The mid-century modern design and beautiful marble options never cease to amaze me.
Favorite Pantone color:
Dark Plum: CSP-420 and Winter Lake: 2129-50!
Design with purpose—choose pieces that are functional, beautiful, and meaningful to create spaces that truly reflect you