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HOK renovates iconic Harry Weese building at Cummins Technical Center in Columbus, Indiana
When Cummins Technical Center opened in 1968, it elicited comparisons to Eero Saarinens General Motors Technical Center, and other midcentury corporate campuses overlooking serene artificial lakes and manicured grass lawns. This particular campus in Columbus, Indiana, hosts 1,200 Cummins employees. It was designed by Harry Weese and Associates and consists of two Brutalist buildings made of steel, glass, and pre-cast, modular concrete. Dan Kiley was the landscape architect. HOK recently renovated the 6-story tower at Cummins Engine Technical Center, adding significant upgrades to the interior while maintaining the fortresss Brutalist integrity.Cummins Engine Technical Center designed by Harry Weese Associates in 1968. (Library of Congress)The rehabilitation touched all 72,000 square feet of the midcentury modernist ensemble. Jennifer Rumsey, Cummins chair and CEO, said the renovation will help the lauded corporation research and develop our next-generation power solutions [that will] start right here in this very hub.Tim Frazier, Cummins vice president of research and technology, said the renovation helps bring the companys engineers, technical specialists, and innovations together again under the same roof working as a coordinated team, close to the technology and testing being executed here.There are new conference rooms and breakout spaces. (Courtesy HOK)The renovation modernized the tower while paying tribute to its important place in modern architectural history, designers from HOK noted. New features like a new staircase, two social hubs, and over 90 differently-sized conference rooms were interspersed throughout. The building also now has gender-neutral restrooms, nursing rooms, quiet spaces, and even treadmill desks. There are also integrated soft lab zones and more collaboration areas. Plus symbols on the walls ideated by HOK pay tribute to graphic designer Paul Rand. (Courtesy HOK)Our design respects Weeses modernist legacy while creating the dynamic, flexible workspace Cummins needs for innovation, Kelly Lott, practice leader for HOKs interiors group in St. Louis, said in a statement. The result maintains the buildings architectural integrity while supporting the collaborative culture essential to Cummins engineering teams.HOK further elaborated that branding elements within the rehab also acknowledge renowned graphic designer Paul Rand, who designed logos for Cummins. The upgraded spaces feature Rands memorable plus symbols he liked to use, embossing them on glazed partitions and as textured, decorative elements on a statement wall.The renovation added new stairs between floors, among other upgrades. (Courtesy HOK)Circular light fixtures nod to the Weese buildings midcentury past, albeit with a contemporary take. Light-colored materials were used throughout: Pale woods can be found on the railings and dividers, and glass panels form the staircase located in the center of the office. On each floor, oversized numbers indicate the level, making wayfinding very clear.The renovation started in 2021 and took three years to complete.
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