Emerald Youth HQ

Office

This Emerald Youth Foundation adaptive reuse project transformed a former bank property (made up of three separate buildings) into one cohesive headquarters for the organization.

The design for this project focused on creating a unified interior flow, so the combined spaces feel seamless as occupants move throughout the building. A distinct feature of this renovation was the preservation of the original bank vault, which was repurposed for secure IT storage.

Exterior updates, including refreshed paint and the bold use of Emerald’s signature green, reinforce the organization’s identity while highlighting the building’s entrance. Inside, we also incorporated Emerald’s colors and environmental branding throughout the office.

Additional areas of focus included: a large training room for staff and community events, an oversized breakroom for gathering, and collaborative workspaces that balance open areas with perimeter offices that take advantage of natural daylight.

Project Details

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

Project size: 10,851 sq ft

Contractor: Creative Structures

Project type: Adaptive reuse/office building

Completion date: 2018