Celebration of Design: Blake Early Learning Center

Come tour the ID Awards Grand Winner, Blake Early Learning Center. The Blake ELC is the first of its kind in the Twin Cities. Designed for learners in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade, the ELC offers a child-centered program in a green facility designed to spark curiosity, joy, and growth. HGA was the architect and design firm on this project and Michelle Hammer and Nat Madson will lead a lively discussion surrounding this project. We hope you will join us.

Event sponsored by Innovative Office Solutions

Date: June 17, 2026

Time: 4:30-6:00pm

Location: Blake Early Learning Center
110 Blake Road South
Hopkins, MN 55343

Nat Madson:
Nat is a design principal at HGA with over 18 years of experience working on a range of award winning educational, civic and arts projects.  Passionate about architecture’s transformative impact on daily life, Nat believes great projects demand both clarity and complexity.  The recipient of several design awards, including the Rapson Traveling Fellowship, Nat frequently teaches architectural design studios at the University of Minnesota.

Michelle Hammer:
As a design principal at HGA, Michelle’s approach to interior design is focused on creating human-centered experiences that provoke a sense of welcome, joy, and functionality. Her passion revolves around truly understanding the client, the end-user and the project vision. From this design approach, she collaborates with clients and teams to develop meaningful and impactful design solutions that exemplify thoughtful placemaking.