Trivers has won an AIA Indiana Design Award from the Indiana Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Trivers was recognized for its work on the Major General Emmett J. Bean Federal Center in Indianapolis, which included a $46 million transformation and renovation of new workspaces for three federal agencies within the center. Trivers team members Madison Booher, RA and Maggie Hayden, AIA accepted the award September 19 at the AIA Indiana Convention in Lexington, Kentucky.
“By introducing natural light into new workspaces and corridors and weaving in artwork to aid in wayfinding, we’ve created a center that feels renewed while respecting its historic integrity,” said Amy Gilbertson, FAIA, LEED Green Associate, principal at Trivers. “We are proud of the work our team did to transform a once dark, disorienting environment into a vibrant and welcoming space.”
The annual AIA Indiana Design Awards are judged by a jury of leading Indiana registered architects, and winners are selected based on projects that serve as a tribute to design excellence. This year there were 51 entries and 16 winners. This is Trivers’ first AIA Indiana Design Award and 31st AIA Design Award overall.
The Major General Emmett J. Bean Federal Center
The Major General Emmett J. Bean Federal Center is one of the United States’ largest military facilities, second only to the Pentagon. The Bean Federal Center became the nation’s first centralized location for the U.S. Army’s financial operations when it was constructed in 1953.
Trivers, in collaboration with HOK and other consultant partners, was selected by the General Services Administration (GSA) to serve as the lead architect, historic architect and interior designer on the project, renovating 200,000 square feet of workspaces for multiple federal agencies.
The project aimed to relocate the Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Marine Corps and the Office of the Inspector General agencies from leased buildings to vacant spaces in the Bean Federal Center. Trivers was challenged with preserving the center’s historical integrity while improving functionality. This included adding features like natural light penetration and reestablishing the central corridor as the primary building spine. For guidance, the team created a Building Design Standard (BDS) to outline the project vision and identify the building’s historic character-defining features.
Trivers also worked closely with an Art in Architecture installation team, managed by the GSA, to ensure the installation aligned with the BDS and tenant requirements. New floor-to-ceiling custom painting transformed the corridor experience and provided improved wayfinding.
“Trivers’ work on the Bean Federal Center went far beyond a typical renovation; it reimagined how federal offices can work,” said a member of the AIA Indiana Design Awards jury. “The new space is welcoming, collaborative and even playful in ways one wouldn’t expect, pushing the boundaries of what can be accomplished.”
