Celebrating 20 Years of Architecture Advantage

November 1, 2025

Architecture Advantage is celebrating our 20th anniversary on November 1st, 2025 and what an amazing journey it’s been!

Co-founded by Melissa Graftaas and Ray Blesener in 2005, Architecture Advantage began with a simple goal: to create thoughtful, enduring spaces that strengthen the communities we serve.

Ray Blesener (right) and Melissa Graftaas (second left) with colleagues.

Over the past two decades, we’ve moved and grown – from our first, small Duluth office to our current locations in both Duluth and St. Paul, and from a handful of staff to a talented and dedicated team of 18 architects, designers, technicians, and support professionals. Along the way, we’ve had the privilege of collaborating on hundreds of projects across Minnesota and beyond, partnering with clients who inspire us every day.

Through all the change and evolution, one thing has remained constant: our commitment to you – our clients, partners, and communities. From the beginning, we’ve taken pride in being authentic in our relationships, accessible in our approach, and advocates for our clients’ goals and communities we design for.

As we celebrate this milestone, we’re filled with immense gratitude for the past and excitement for what’s ahead. Here’s to the next chapter of designing spaces that make a difference with authenticity, accessibility, and advocacy at the heart of all we do.

We will be hosting the first anniversary celebration at our St. Paul office on Thursday, November 6th. Event details can be found here. Stay tuned for more information on our Duluth celebration next summer!

Written By

Melissa Graftaas

My passion for architecture began in high school watching my father bring home blueprints for a new bank facility in Clearbrook, MN. I started to dive in and tagged along to construction meetings and the rest is history! The combination of creativity, technical details and the unique personality of each client and project makes me appreciate every day the opportunities we have in front of us. In 2005 I founded and entered into the partnership of Architecture Advantage with Raymond Blesener. Upon his retirement in 2013, I became President and shortly thereafter the firm became registered with the State of Minnesota as a Woman Owned Business. My passion for this firm and what I do keeps me involved throughout all phases of the project.

Lauren Rehfeldt

Storytelling and connection have always been at the core of what I do. I love finding the right message, sharing it with the right people, and bringing ideas and experiences together in ways that feel clear, thoughtful, and human. Marketing gives me the opportunity to do exactly that by blending strategy and creativity to translate complex ideas into stories that resonate. Whether shaping a narrative or refining how a message shows up across platforms, I enjoy the challenge of making information accessible and engaging. I never imagined that I would end up applying my marketing background to the architecture and engineering industry, but it pushes me to think outside of the box and find new ways to put the pieces of the story together.

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