Posts by Chris Opsaul

We are pleased to announce the following promotions to Principal: Brent Greer Brent joined Alliiance for technology support and now oversees the firm’s IT. He took Alliiance from a one-server network to an in-house data center and then ultimately transitioned the firm to a cloud-based network. A true problem solver, Brent has been critical in…

We are pleased to announce the following promotions to Senior Associate. Stefan Balaz, AIA, LEED AP Stefan is a strong project architect and project manager who brings an even-handled demeanor to his projects. He has been active in creating staff cohesion, consensus, camaraderie, and mentorship while gaining the confidence of clients and project teams through…

We are pleased to announce the following promotions to Associate: Savannah Belcher Savannah is critical to the smooth running of Alliiance. She has filled several positions from project assistant at Alliiance’s airport office; general administrative work at the headquarters; to her current role leading accounts payable, employee expense report processing, and the huge task of…

Jens Vange does more than just design buildings—he photographs them, too. Through November, you can view his intriguing work, “Hidden Dimensions of Urban Architecture,” on display at Concourse G of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Exploring buildings from a unique perspective, Jens hopes to “ignite a deeper curiosity [in viewers] about their surroundings.” Read more…

Retrofit Magazine features the Alliiance-designed Butler Square refresh in its January/February 2023 issue! Tasked with centering sustainability and wellness in the design, Alliiance helped bring this space into the modern era while maintaining its historic charm. Read more about the upgrades and check out stunning views of the award-winning space at https://bit.ly/3ZJjJXR.

Congratulations Kyle Palzer on receiving this year’s Young Architects Award from AIA Minnesota! Recipients were judged on their design excellence, demonstrated leadership, and industry contributions. Jurors highlighted Kyle’s extensive service background within the profession, as well as his commitment to delivering high quality design within any budget. You can learn more at https://bit.ly/3Y4lbDa and listen to Kyle talk about…

Did you hear? In “St. Anthony: Alliiance, the architecture firm with two i’s, is remaking Minneapolis landmarks,” author Neal St. Anthony highlights a few of Alliiance’s people and recent projects in and around the Twin Cities. Included in these spotlights is the new conceptual design for Chameleon Shoppes, which will provide retail space for women…

Happy Halloween! It was a treat to gather for Alliiance’s annual Halloween Spooktacular Chili Cook-Off event. We enjoyed delicious homemade chili, applauded creative costumes, and had a spooky good time!

Recently, Alvera was awarded the win for the Multi-Family Mid-Rise category at the NAIOP Awards of Excellence ceremony. As a design consultant for exterior and interior common spaces, Alliiance worked with the project team to seamlessly integrate art with architecture. The exterior design incorporates a mural by Aaron de la Cruz that weaves around the…

Alliiance is proud of its longstanding partnership with the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to create one of the most successful guest experiences in the world. This past Wednesday, J.D. Powers named MSP #1 in North America in passenger satisfaction for airports with 33 million or more passengers per year. We look forward to helping…

Alliiance is ranked #23 in airports on Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook list! We have been partnering with consultants and clients across the country and worldwide for more than 50 years to improve aviation design, and we are excited to continue bringing excellence and innovation to the industry for years to come.

In ENTER’s recent article, “A Flexible, Neighborhood-Welcoming Expansion Takes an Arts Center to the Next Level,” Principals Amber Sausen and Marcelo Pinto share insights behind the design of the Center for Performing Arts addition in South Minneapolis. From community and character to connection to place and time, their considerations achieve a design that is functional,…

Alliiance is fortunate to partner with a client like the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) that shares our value for integrated art and architecture. In a feature for ENTER, senior architect for the MAC, Alan Howell, talks about the design goals for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and the interplay of art and architecture in bringing…

We are excited to welcome Dan Boivin to Alliiance! He will be joining our Business Development leadership team. Dan will foster client relationships and support the firm’s business development efforts in the Public, Workplace, and Science & Technology studios. Dan comes to Alliiance with decades of experience in a wide variety of industries, from law…

After more than thirty-four years with Alliiance, Cliff Dunham will be retiring on June 17, 2022. With a lifelong passion for architecture and aviation, Cliff pursued both interests–earning his pilot’s license at an early age and becoming an architect in 1980. He began his career with Alliiance in September 1987, working out of our Minneapolis-St.…

Congratulations to architect Amber Sausen for being honored as one of this years’ Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s (MSPBJ) 40 Under 40. This award recognizes young business and community leaders across the Twin Cities encompassing a variety of industries. Since joining Alliiance in 2011, Amber has worked on design projects for Twin Cities Fortune 500 companies…

Julie MacLeod AIA, CID, LEED AP Since rejoining Alliiance in 2014, Julie has led the design of many projects across the full spectrum of our practice. Her aviation portfolio includes the Memphis Concourse Modernization, Lincoln Airport expansion, Grand Rapids International Airport, planning for the Quad City International Airport, and on-going projects at Clinton National Airport.…

Adam Ariano AIA Adam joined the firm in 2011 and has exceled in the design of high-visibility public projects. Working directly with stakeholders and end-users, he continually strives to improve people’s experience of public spaces through design. He has made valuable design contributions in our Aviation and Lifestyle studios including projects at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul…

Amanda Arnold AIA, LEED GA Amanda joined Alliiance in 2018. With over 20 years of experience, she is a very knowledgeable project architect with a strong technical foundation. An engaged listener and strong communicator, Amanda applies her extensive knowledge to guide teams in solving complex challenges by coordinating and detailing successful projects. Amanda has contributed…

April Meyer NCIDQ, LEED AP, Principal at Alliiance and Senior Terminal Designer for Interiors, is an industry thought leader in airport design. Having brought design leadership to over 40 airports worldwide, her focus is on the passenger experience. In this recent interview, April shares her thoughts on equitable access and well-being which all contribute to an uplifting…

Mamie Harvey AIA, LEED AP BD+C and Anna Pravinata, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA have been named as two of the Twin Cities Business 2021 Notable Women in Construction, Architecture, and Engineering. Fueled by a focus on collaboration, inclusivity, and design excellence, these two Science + Technology experts are committed to building the best future for…

The Williston Basin International Airport was awarded a National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association Terrazzo Honor award! The epoxy terrazzo floor patterns present an abstract portrayal of the rolling plains and wheat fields of the Drift Prairie of North Dakota’s Central Lowland. https://bit.ly/3BLR34v

The Riverland Community College Transportation, Trade, and Industrial Education Center (TTIEC) was selected by Finance & Commerce as one of the Top Projects of 2020. The project was a renovation of the existing lower level of the building on the Riverland Community College Albert Lea campus. As a result, the college saved nearly $3,000,000 in…

Alliiance had a fantastic afternoon at the 2021 Airport Foundation MSP Golf Tournament at Prestwick Golf Club!

Integrated with Alliiance’s architecture at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, artist Jen Lewin created “The Aurora” to bring the natural beauty of Minnesota indoors through the playful use of movement and light. https://bit.ly/3qoT9lD

Anna Pravinata and Nina Ebbighausen are among the designers featured in the SAY IT LOUD – Minnesota Virtual Exhibition! The digital exhibition features projects by diverse design professionals, as well as quotes and interviews on their experiences in the architecture and design professions. READ MORE

As we return to the office, do our workplaces enhance employee experience and foster innovation? Rochelle Maresh, CID, LEED AP of Alliiance, and Cristina Kelly, WELL AP of Entro share how positive employee experience promotes productivity and innovation through connection and community. READ MORE

Co-authored by Alliiance, the ACRP Research Report 226 provides a thoughtful, step-by-step process to help airports provide a higher level of accommodation for passengers through the planning, design, and implementation of well-functioning restrooms and ancillary amenity spaces such as lactation rooms, pet relief areas, and shower facilities. READ MORE

In the second article of the two part series for WorkDesign Magazine, Rochelle Maresh, CID, LEED AP of Alliiance, and Cristina Kelly, WELL AP of Entro share how space, brand, and identity influence an employee’s experience of an organization’s purpose and culture. READ MORE The first article can be found here: https://www.workdesign.com/2021/01/supporting-physical-and-mental-health-through-design/

Join Rochelle Maresh, CID, LEED AP, and other experts in the field as they share their experience and insights on spaces that are made for and by communities during the January 29th panel discussion. https://bit.ly/38UOPTV

Rochelle Maresh, CID, LEED AP of Alliiance, and Cristina Kelly, WELL AP of Entro dive into the importance of creating an engaging, safe, and healthy work environment through a sense of place, behavioral nudging, and access to nature. READ MORE

Alliiance is honored to partner with industry-leading peers who share our mission to create workplaces focused on the health and well-being of occupants. The Workwell Coalition is an integrated team offering multidisciplinary expertise to reshape and re-imagine high-performance workspaces and to safely bring your staff back to work during this new normal. The Workwell Coalition,…

After 25 years with Alliiance, Bruce Albinson (Albi), is retiring. Albi joined the firm in 1995 and worked on movie theaters, shopping malls, financial retail, specialty retail, restaurants, and the Norwest / Wells Fargo branch banks in grocery stores. In 1998, he was promoted to Principal. As Principal-in-Charge for the Lifestyle Studio, Albi led projects…

Discover how reduced activity levels provided Lincoln Airport the perfect opportunity to undertake projects to increase capacity and improve customer experience in Business View Magazine’s December 2020 issue. https://bit.ly/2KgX16Y