Design firm, IA Interior Architects, opens local branch.

Byline: William Morris

A national architecture firm is opening a Minneapolis office to help property owners reimagine, as Managing Partner Cassandra Griep puts it, "anything that's within the four walls."

IA Interior Architects, based in San Francisco, specializes in interior architecture and workplace design. The company has worked on projects ranging from open offices for video game developers to luxury airport lounges.

In Minneapolis, the company has done several projects in the North Loop's T3 building, including the Industrious co-working space, and is working on a project for accounting company RSM, Griep said in an interview.

"IA has actually had a presence in the Minneapolis market very lightly for quite a while," Griep said. "A number of our clients that we provide service to and partner with across the country, and sometimes globally, have a presence in Minneapolis, or they are looking at wanting to have more of a presence in Minneapolis."

The new Minneapolis office, announced this week, will be IA's 22nd. To lead it, the company brought on board Griep, previously of Gensler & Associates in Minneapolis. The company culture and perspective on design made it a good fit, she said.

"I have a really big passion for Minneapolis, St. Paul, surrounding communities in Minnesota in general, and I just really believe in making our city flourish and being able to have an impact on that true design," she said.

IA Interior Architects strives to share knowledge and skills across its 700-plus workers at all locations, a network that will support the Minneapolis office in its...