Sioux Falls, SD (2022)
AIA SD Honor Award in Architecture
The old Symms-Brownell spark plug factory, built in 1919, is now Click Rain + Lemonly Headquarters. Last I checked, it boasts the only sawtooth roof in Downtown Sioux Falls. Definitely the only tri-colored one.
A friend and real estate agent called me over to an old building in a tough neighborhood. It was neglected and underused, serving as storage for antiques and other second-hand goods.
“It’s in bad shape, but I think I want to buy it. Do you think it could be cool?”
Not blown away by the structure at first – although I think there were some nice fishing rods and a couple decent mattresses in there – I pulled a ceiling tile down to see what we were working with. I saw the old sawtooth skylights and said, “Probably.”
So we set out to fix it up. Our mission was simple: Embrace the building’s history and position Click Rain + Lemonly as a hip place to work. A nod to the past, fit for the future.
