by Madison Voigt, College of Design class of 2026
Imagine an intergenerational hub for you, your child, and your parents to learn and grow together—a place where seniors and college students live side-by-side, and neighborhood children come to learn, play, and connect. All of this, within a vibrant community-centered campus designed to foster meaningful relationships across generations. That’s the vision behind the transformation of Tuttle Elementary: once a bustling neighborhood school in Minneapolis, this beloved landmark now stands ready for a new chapter, as a thriving intergenerational community hub that honors its rich history while embracing the future.
Closed in 2017, the century-old building has sat quiet … until now. In October, a team of undergraduate students and faculty from the University of Minnesota came together under the US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon Competition to breathe new life into Tuttle. Despite the program’s sudden postponement just before the semi-final submission, the team—part of the North Star Building Science Club—persevered, continuing their work through months of uncertainty. In March, the competition was officially rebranded as the BuildingsNEXT Student Showcase, and the team’s vision culminated in a final presentation in April. The result is a vibrant campus that would blend affordable student and senior housing, a Montessori preschool, and welcoming shared space. The project is grounded in sustainability, accessibility, and social connection.
From the start, the design team worked closely with community members—including the grassroots group Tuttle for the People—to ensure the proposal reflected neighborhood values. Community voices shaped key aspects of the design, from preserving the school’s historic façade to incorporating amenities like a café, gardens, and a maker space.
What’s Proposed: A Vision for the Future
The reimagined Tuttle Elementary would combine historic preservation with forward-thinking design:
- Senior Living: 75 units designed for independent, assisted, and memory care living, using features that support aging-in-place with dignity.
- Montessori Preschool: Purpose-built classrooms with indoor and outdoor learning spaces for early childhood development.
- Community Amenities: A public café, maker space, theater, and expansive gardens to welcome neighbors and visitors.
- Student Housing: On-site living for college students studying elder care, encouraging mentorship opportunities, and reducing isolation for seniors.
At the heart of it all stands a striking glass atrium—a sunlit space to bridge the old and new buildings and serve as a gathering place for all.
Why It Matters
This project is more than a renovation. It’s a model for how communities can breathe new life into aging buildings while addressing today’s needs:
- Bringing Generations Together: By integrating child care, senior housing, and public gathering spaces, Tuttle encourages natural, everyday moments of connection.
- Sustaining the Environment: Targeting net-zero energy use through advanced systems like the Darcy geothermal heat pump, efficient building envelopes, and sustainable material choices.
- Preserving Local History: Over half of the original building’s façade would remain, celebrating the school’s legacy through exhibits and architectural reuse.
- Strengthening Community: With 65% of the site preserved as green space, the design promotes mental and physical health through gardens, walking paths, and outdoor gathering areas.
Interdisciplinary and Sustainable by Design
The project was developed by an interdisciplinary team of students and faculty in the Construction Management, Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, and Sustainable Systems Management programs. Their collaborative approach—and commitment to community feedback—ensured that every design decision, from materials to energy systems, aligned with long-term environmental, social, and economic goals.
- Energy Efficiency: A geothermal heating and cooling system and smart ventilation strategies reduce fossil fuel use and improve comfort.
- Health and Wellness: Natural daylight, clean air, nontoxic materials, and green space support physical and emotional well-being.
- Materials That Matter: Durable, low-emission, locally sourced products reduce the project’s carbon footprint and operating costs.
- Green Landscaping: Native plants and stormwater systems reduce water use, prevent runoff, and support biodiversity.
A Model for the Future
As more cities face the challenge of what to do with aging public buildings, the Tuttle Project offers a hopeful answer. It’s a place where history, sustainability, and community come together, and it's a blueprint for turning under-used spaces into lasting assets for neighborhoods everywhere. The team presented the final design on April 26 at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, as one of 80 teams from around the world showcasing projects to industry professionals and peers. After returning, we shared the proposal with our project sponsors and the local community group, Tuttle for the People, on April 30.
Currently, the developer is exploring options to move the project forward, with potential plans to convert the building into approximately 30 multifamily housing units. Funding efforts, including applications for state grants, are in progress. While the project is on hold for now, the groundwork has been laid for its future success.
A Personal Reflection
Working on this project was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my academic journey. I learned lessons that simply aren’t possible to gain in a classroom or internship. Collaborating across disciplines pushed me to approach problems from entirely new perspectives, making me a stronger and more thoughtful designer. I became more confident in my abilities, more open to new ideas, and more creative in finding solutions. It even changed the way I approached my studio work—solving problems from different angles and creating more thoughtful, meaningful designs.
One of the hardest moments came when the competition was unexpectedly postponed just before our semi-final submission. What began as part of the US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon was suddenly put on hold, with no clear communication or updates. Despite the uncertainty, we kept moving forward—not just for ourselves, but for the seniors who were relying on this as their capstone project.
It wasn’t until mid-March that we finally heard the competition had been rebranded as the BuildingsNEXT Student Showcase. With only days to spare, we scrambled to make travel arrangements, unsure if all our hard work would even have a chance to be seen. But that moment of uncertainty ultimately became a powerful lesson in resilience and commitment.
Through all the ups and downs, this experience reminded me that design is ultimately about people—connecting them, supporting them, and creating spaces where everyone belongs.
We are the University of Minnesota. We are Tuttle.
