Designing Senator Al Franken’s new office – an opportunity to utilize local and sustainable products.

Designing  an office for the new Minnesota State Senator doesn’t happen every day. (More like every six years.) Senator Franken’s new office, an office away from his Washington office, is warm, welcoming and literally Minnesota grown. The senator’s new office is located in the historic Drake Building (formerly, the Drake Marble Company) with views of downtown St. Paul. The Tanek Inc. team wanted to create an environment that truly spoke Minnesotan – right down to the quartz surfaces. Countertops from Cambria (with production based in Le Suer, MN) have become a Minnesota tradition and BioSurf (based in Mankato, MN) uses elements straight from the Minnesota soil – soybean and corn, to create a biolaminate and biopolymer. Other material choices include DIRTT Moveable Wall Systems (pre-manufactured to virtually eliminate construction waste and future renovation waste) and Marmoleum – a completely natural linoleum flooring with no VOCs and totally solvent free adhesive. Of course, no Minnesota office would be complete without a touch of local art – and this office is no exception- the walls are trimmed with art on loan from the Weisman Art Museum.