Hines T3 Partnership

Modern Loft Office: Timber, Transit, Technology

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Locations

11 U.S. and International cities

Area

2,700,000 SF+ across multiple projects

Awards

15+ Design Awards

Services

Planning, architecture, public space interior design

Real estate leader Hines knows that the wants and needs of contemporary, technology-rich workers are shifting the way we think about workplace design. Hines connected with us to explore these shifts and conceptualize a response to growing cultural demand for local authenticity, sustainability, and urban and social connectivity. The result is the T3 concept: timber, transit, and technology. Since its inception, Hines has redoubled investment in the T3 line, building on the successes of high-profile anchor tenants, premium lease rates, and record-busting sales prices.

T3 is exemplary of a new asset class that appeals to tenants seeking an authentic, sustainable, yet modern officing experience – with exposed engineered wood columns, beams, and floor that both convey organic warmth and beauty within the workplace environment, and are sustainable, renewable, and structurally predictable.

Additional steel, masonry and accent materials complement the wood to create an authentically tactile work environment evoking classic urban lofts. Modern building systems and technology infrastructure support the current and projected needs of the high-tech workforce.

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T3’s authentic mercantile timber frame design, modern technology, inspiring style, commitment to sustainability, connection to outdoors, flexible and efficient workspaces and expansive amenities have created a new office environment that has become a recruiting and retention tool for tenants such as Amazon and Facebook, located in some of our other T3 projects. T3 is not just an answer to a reimagined office environment but is the new standard for office environments in a post-COVID-19 world.”

Alan Kennedy Hines Managing Director

Growing the Program

Since we embarked on the initial T3 concept with Hines, we now have six built projects and are currently in the process of designing and constructing five across North America. As with any pioneering building system, each iteration improves on the last.

Growing the Program

Minneapolis

North Loop

In 2016, when T3 North Loop opened, it became the largest mass timber building in the United States – and the first U.S. multi-story timber office building built in over 100 years. In 2018, with Amazon as an anchor tenant, Hines sold T3 North Loop to LaSalle for the highest per square foot cost in Minneapolis history, well above the average price per square foot in the traditionally more covetable Central Business District. In the heart of Minneapolis’ North Loop warehouse district, the building form and façade bridges the aesthetic of historic warehouses and newer modern neighbors including Target Field. Adjacent to Cedar Lake Bike Trail, commuter rail, light rail, and a pedestrian skyway system, T3 is highly accessible. Open floorplates shatter the myth that timber can’t feel bright and airy. Modern amenities match the program’s ethos: a bike repair and storage facility; a tenant fitness center; a roof deck for outdoor restoration; and ground-floor retail. Modern, clean, energy-efficient systems and technologies aim to reduce the lifecycle carbon footprint and achieve LEED Gold. The first level is a concrete podium; above it are six levels of NLT over glulam frame construction, with a height of 85 feet. DLR Group worked as Architect of Record in collaboration with Michael Green Architecture.

The wood used in T3 Minneapolis is projected to sequester 3,200 metric tons of carbon over the building’s life.

A distinct advantage to timber construction is reduced construction timelines: 180,000 SF of timber was erected in just 9.5 weeks – an average of one-and-a-half weeks per 30,000-SF floorplate. Video courtesy of Structurecraft.

Atlanta

West Midtown

At West Midtown, the T3 model is morphed to match the Atlanta market, climate, and tenant profile. A blackened steel façade and steel bracing harken back to the site’s history as a steel mill. Outdoor space amenities are expanded from a shared roof deck to private outdoor space at every level. The 205,000 SF office building includes 15,000 SF of ground-floor retail space, shared social workspace, a fitness center, rooftop terrace, and 61 below-grade parking spaces. State-of-the-art mechanical systems, enclosure, elevatoring, acoustics and voice & data technology integration marry to the exposed mass timber structural system. In Atlanta, the decision to use DLT over glulam construction was driven by timber’s rapidly evolving supply chain. Attention to detailing at column to beam connections, exposed ducting, and required clearances maximize the material’s aesthetic potential. DLR Group worked as Architect of Record in collaboration with Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture.

Toronto

Sterling Road

Toronto’s Lower Junction neighborhood has all the hallmarks of an up-and-coming post-industrial revival: on the edge of downtown, abutting a multi-modal trail, within walking distance of several public transit stops, and bubbling with creative energy. T3 Sterling Road echoes the recent T3 West Midtown, with external bracing, generous private balconies, and the juxtaposition of warm wood and blackened steel, along with robust wellness-focused amenities, ground floor retail, and floor-to-ceiling windows that bring natural light deep into the building. The site is master planned for a total of 420,000 SF across three buildings. Phase I includes two buildings totaling 300,000 SF, knit together by a privately-owned public park. Parking is tucked discretely below the park to support the neighborhood’s urban vibe. In Toronto, a concrete podium is not required, allowing timber construction to be enjoyed from the ground floor up to the top of the building – at 108’, Sterling Road is DLR Group’s largest and tallest T3 project. Through Ontario’s alternative compliance path, the project exceeds building code height and story limits for mass timber. DLR Group worked as Design Architect.

Black steel exterior midrise mass timber building, mass timber buildings, t3 design, mass timber high rise, t3 construction, t3 partners

Austin

ATX Eastside

This mass timber building in collaboration with developer Hines looks towards the southern part of the United States where everything is bigger: Texas, and specifically its capital, Austin. East Austin is seeing tremendous redevelopment targeted at a growing younger population, redefining work-life harmony. Located within a short walk to Austin’s downtown core and with a transit stop only a few blocks away, T3 ATX Eastside consists of Class-A timber office and, for the first time in the T3 concept, 15 residential units. With the evolution of T3 into the residential space, corporate guests can now experience the comfort of home, surrounded by the inviting organic warmth and beauty of the exposed engineered wood. DLR Group worked as Design Architect, Architect of Record, and Interior Designer.

Mass timber midrise building with exposed wood, dark steel and reflective windows, t3 construction, t3 partners, t3 design

Denver

RiNo

A mile north of Denver’s Central Business District, the River North neighborhood is exploding with creativity, attracting a dynamic mix of artistic and tech-focused residents and businesses. This market condition is ideal for Hines’ T3 asset class. RiNo’s T3 features a refined industrial aesthetic that incorporates local art, paying homage to both Denver’s historic brick and timber buildings and to the city’s vibrant arts district. Designed for work/life balance, the office space is complemented by comprehensive amenities including common social areas, large private terraces, fitness, secure bike storage and maintenance, 17,000 SF of street-level retail suites, and three levels of below-grade parking. While all T3s achieve LEED Gold or higher, RiNo is the first to target WELL certification in addition. Coordination with the City of Denver ensured smooth permitting of a progressive building type that is novel to the Denver market. DLR Group worked as Architect of Record in collaboration with Pickard Chilton Architects.

Nashville

Wedgewood Houston

Located just south of downtown Nashville, Wedgewood-Houston is emerging as a magnet for the creative class. With factories and warehouses converting to a dynamic mix of galleries, bars, and restaurants, and with a new MLS stadium on the way, the neighborhood is an ideal location for the latest T3: a next-generation timber office building, equipped with advanced building systems and technology, modern amenities, and flexible workspace. The five levels of office space are complemented by a robust amenity package including a fitness center and basketball court, secure bike storage, exclusive private outdoor terraces, and ground level retail connecting to an outdoor public plaza. Close coordination with the City of Nashville for code adherence allowed an extra floor of office space and set the stage for a smooth permitting process. Part of a larger mixed-use development, The Finery, T3 appeals to tenants seeking an authentic, sustainable, yet modern officing experience. DLR Group worked as Architect of Record in collaboration with Hastings Architecture.

Hines T3 The Finery Nashville mass timber office building with rows of floor to ceiling windows and large common area rooftop patio, mass timber buildings, t3 design, mass timber high rise, t3 construction, t3 partners

Mass timber office interior, geometric accent pendant lights, biophilia greenery, exposed warm wood, large windows, mass timber buildings, t3 design, mass timber high rise, t3 construction, t3 partners

Fort Lauderdale

FAT Village

Developers Hines and Urban Street Development have joined forces to create a unique mixed-use development, FAT Village, a modern urban lifestyle hub in Fort Lauderdale. The 5.6-acre development introduces new housing, retail, restaurants, entertainment, and Class AA office space. For the office component, our firm will design Hines’ mass timber office concept, T3, delivering 180,000 SF of sustainable office space anchoring the prominent corner of the overall development. Our design upholds the area’s unique charm while providing desired space for creative workplaces to thrive and reinforce the neighborhood. Enlarged windows flood the tenant and public spaces with natural light and provide views of the surrounding development and neighborhood, while the mass timber of the building is left exposed in most areas to highlight the authenticity of the structural system. T3 FAT Village targets LEED Gold, WELL building certification, and Wired Score Platinum certification. DLR Group worked as Design Architect and Architect of Record.

Aerial rendering of multistory office buildings filled with windows with art murals on top, mass timber buildings, t3 design, mass timber high rise, t3 construction, t3 partners

Rendering of a multi-use facility showing modern buildings with black and light wood accents, mass timber buildings, t3 design, mass timber high rise, t3 construction, t3 partners

Idea

Unlocking the Potential of Mass Timber: 5 Lessons from T3 Projects

_{August 8, 2024}

Upon completion of our sixth T3 office building, explore what we’ve learned from designing nearly three million SF of mass timber.

Mass timber midrise building with exposed wood, dark steel and reflective windows

firm news

First Class-A Timber Office and Residential Space Debuts in Austin, Texas

T3 ATX Eastside’s new mass timber office and residential space offers a modernized and sustainable option for working and living.

Mass timber open floor plan office space with exposed wood cieling and beams, raw concrete floor, floor to ceiling windows

press
Detailed Podcast

Detailed Podcast: A Look Inside T3 ATX Eastside

Bobby Larson joined the Detailed Podcast and discussed the firm’s latest iteration of the mass timber concept, T3 Eastside in Austin, Texas.

Rendering of a new office building in Fort Lauderdale showing a colorful sunset above multistory buildings with colorful murals

firm news

T3 FAT Village Breaks Ground in Fort Lauderdale

New mass timber Class-AA office building set to anchor larger redevelopment of mixed-use district in the Flagler Village.

white dimensional map showing location of new Alpin Center at Texas A&M with red pin drop icon

press
The Real Deal

DLR Group Partners with Texas A&M on Academic Center

DLR Group is partnering with Hines for the first mass timber academic building at Texas A&M. The Aplin Center will be an immersive learning laboratory for new university programs in hospitality and retail studies.

idea

Mass Timber Innovation: The Hospitality Prototype

Our timber hotel prototype dispels sound, structure, and safety myths, showcasing mass timber interiors and timber construction as a viable option for the hospitality industry.

idea

Biophilia and Mass Timber at Swarthmore College

Our partnership with Swarthmore College for the Dining and Community Commons Project focuses on equitable community and ambitious sustainability goals.