IMEG provided engineering design and services for Kemin Industries’ new global headquarters building. The company manufactures more than 500 specialty ingredients for the global feed and food industries as well as the health, nutrition, and beauty markets. 

The two-story building was designed as an expansion that connects the recently opened Molecular Advancement Center (MAC) to the new headquarters. The facility includes a bridge concept on the second floor spanning a new courtyard and retention pond. The headquarters houses nearly 350 employees and includes private offices, conference rooms, a board room, training rooms, a fitness center, locker rooms, dining facility, commercial kitchen, library and a Skype room, which is to be used to communicate with other Kemin offices and clients around the world. 

Unique characteristics of the project include predominately LED lighting for interior, exterior, and landscape illumination, as well as 5000K interior lighting, per the owner’s request to provide greater brightness and improved visual acuity. Interior lighting is typically 4100K. 

Structural design challenges included use of long span beams to meet the owner’s vision for part of the building and maintaining floor-to-structure heights in the cafeteria without interior columns. Beams above the space are long and support the second-floor weight room and workout areas, which have vibration concerns. In addition, the asymmetric building presented geometric constraints for connections and economical framing options.