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The words flexible and concrete are not typically placed together. But when the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) needed to quickly and economically construct an unconventional new headquarters and training center in the Twin Cities, the building designers turned to precast concrete wall panels, to help construct the 56,000-square-foot facility. IUPAT planned the new headquarters to allow its District Council 82 union members to practice their specialized trades and house all of the district councils business offices. Timing and efficiency were key factors for the project contractor, Amcon, as it planned to build the IUPAT headquarters in November  right at the start of an always-cold Minnesota winter. The contractor utilized approximately 39,000 square feet of precast concrete wall panels, with each panel ranging from 52 to 57 feet high, to erect the outside walls in roughly 13 days. This helped quickly create an enclosed shell to provide protection from the cold weather and allow other trades to continue their work inside. Completed in a seven-month time frame, the impressive IUPAT facility features a large open training area with 45- foot-high walls. The expansive wall panels can be easily divided into smaller sections with varying surface finishes so drywall finishers, glaziers and other union workers can practice their crafts under simulated conditions. Because of the use of precast concrete panels, Amcon was able to create a facility on time and with the interior and exterior diversity and flexibility the owner needed.