Architecture MN magazine

MORE HONORS

Design for education, workplace and living

TOWN TALK

MPF’s Paul Bauknight on community engagement

Honor Awards

MAR|APR 20 $3.95 architecturemn.com

Goose Creek Safety Rest Area elevates design for travelers

DIRECTORY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

SPRING FLOWERS AT MIA AND COMO CONSERVATORY

DESIGN TRAVEL: ASPEN ART MUSEUM

HONOR AWARDS

Architecture MN is a publication of The American Institute of Architects Minnesota architecturemn.com

Architecture MN, the primary public outreach tool of the American Institute of Architects Minnesota, is published to inform the public about architecture designed by AIA Minnesota members and to communicate the spirit and value of quality architecture to both the public and the membership.

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Features 20 2019 AIA Minnesota Honor Awards

ON THE COVER Goose Creek Safety Rest Area Harris, Minnesota “As I was photographing this architectural jewel, I overheard a visitor observing that the walkway railings were rusting,” recalls photographer Pete Sieger. “I explained that they were designed with a special steel coating to complement the color of the wood cladding. A look of surprise and delight flashed over the traveler’s face, and we went on to have a nice conversation.”

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The stories and images of the seven winners of the state’s top architecture award.

The common thread in these wide-ranging designs for living, learning, working, and traveling?

All speak to their surroundings inside and out.

Macalester College Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center Phase 3 page 22

By Joel Hoekstra

Goose Creek Safety Rest Area page 28

By Thomas Fisher, Assoc. AIA

Knock, inc. page 26

By Joel Hoekstra

Rothe Amundson page 32

By Amy Goetzman

Minnehaha Academy page 36

By Joel Hoekstra Derby Line Land Port of Entry page 38

By Joel Hoekstra Foraged Boathouse page 42

By Christopher Hudson

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Departments & Directories 7 11

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EDITOR’S NOTE

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CULTURE CRAWL

BY ANN MAYHEW Spring is in full, artful bloom indoors at the Como Conservatory and the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

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TOWN TALK INTERVIEW BY SHERI HANSEN “The most important thing to do in community engagement is to be authentic and build trust,” says the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s Paul Bauknight.

“Ideally, we’re listening a lot more than we’re talking about what we want to do.”

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SPEED READING

BY FRANK EDGERTON MARTIN Warm up for spring training with architecture critic Paul Goldberger’s Ballpark: Baseball in the American City.

TRAVELER

BY J.C. BUCK The Aspen Art Museum, designed

by Pritzker Prize recipient Shigeru Ban, makes its city a destination for more than just skiing.

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PLACE PHOTOGRAPH BY COREY GAFFER The landscape and the roadway patterns that travelers experience along Minnesota highways, viewed from high above.

DIRECTORY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRMS

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CREDITS

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ADVERTISING INDEX

MATERIAL WORLD

BY ANDY STURDEVANT The Honor Award–winning Foraged Boathouse is “both a sketch and a proof of concept,” writes our favorite columnist, “a private challenge for two architects to work with only materials on hand.”

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JENNIFER SIMONSON

GUEST EDITORIAL

Two days before this issue went to press, news broke that the Trump administration was circulating a draft executive order that would make the “classical architectural style” derived from Greek and Roman architecture the “preferred and default style” for large federal building and renovation projects going forward. The full document, titled “Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again,” can be found online. The following statements are just a sampling of the broad opposition the draft order has elicited.

Misguided Mandate

“The AIA strongly opposes uniform style mandates for federal architecture.

Architecture should be designed for the specific communities that it serves, reflecting our rich nation’s diverse places, thought, culture, and climates.”

—The American Institute of Architects (AIA) “This notion is completely unacceptable and counterproductive to the kind of society that fosters justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Freedom of architectural expression is a right that should be upheld at the highest levels of government.”

—The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) “. . . most significant public architecture in the United States has resulted from the intersection of monumentality, permanence, and aesthetic significance and the specific local demands of site and community. . . . the dictation of style— any style—is not the path to excellence in civic architecture.”

—The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH)

INTERACT & CONNECT

Honor Award winners (page 20) on Instagram @archmnmag

Lakewood Garden Mausoleum film short architecturemn.com/videos

Yale University design travel on Instagram #archmnmagnewhaven2019

“While the National Trust values—and protects—traditional and classical buildings throughout the country, to censor and stifle the full record of American architecture by requiring federal buildings to be designed, and even altered, to comply with a narrow list of styles determined by the federal government is inconsistent with the values of historic preservation. The draft order would put at risk federal buildings across the country that represent our full American story, and would have a chilling effect on new design, including the design of federal projects in historic districts.”

—The National Trust for Historic Preservation “The draft executive order . . . would roll back federal architectural policy by nearly sixty years and set a dangerous precedent for how we value our nation’s architectural diversity and history.” —Docomomo Public buildings should be shaped by their unique, multifaceted circumstances— their function, climate, performance goals, immediate surroundings, and cultural and historical contexts—and the responsible, equitable use of community resources.

A mandated style would constrain and undercut these priorities. AIA Minnesota encourages all Architecture MN readers who are passionate about civic architecture to learn more about the draft executive order and let their voices be heard on its proposed measures.

Karen Lu, AIA, NOMA 2020 AIA Minnesota President

@archmnmag March/April 2020

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CO NVER SATI ON STA RT E R

INTERVIEW BY SHERI HANSEN

Paul Bauknight is the project implementation director at the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, a donor-supported nonprofit that envisions and executes transformative parks and public spaces by working closely with communities and public partners. The avowed urbanist, who was trained as an architect, focuses on working across sectors and connecting physical, cultural, economic, and social environments.

Prior to joining the foundation, Bauknight advanced cultural and design initiatives for several nonprofit and government entities.

Bauknight at the crest of Farview Park, one of the highest elevations in the city. The 21-acre park enjoys a spectacular skyline view.

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The primary philanthropic partner of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, the foundation has several key initiatives underway along the Mississippi riverfront that will help reconnect neighborhoods and communities to this important urban landscape. Architecture MN sat down with Bauknight to learn more about these efforts and the equitable engagement practices the foundation embraces to build trust and a sense of community ownership.

TOWN TALK

THE MINNEAPOLIS PARKS FOUNDATION’S PAUL BAUKNIGHT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN PARK PLANNING What Minneapolis Parks Foundation projects are you particularly excited about?

The 26th Street Overlook in North Minneapolis, designed by 4RM+ULA and Ten x Ten, should start construction soon. It’s one of the first real connections for people in North Minneapolis to the Mississippi riverfront. It’s not a large project, but it doesn’t take a lot to make a big difference in how people experience a public space. It’s really well designed, and it gives us an opportunity to connect the community to the river.

PHOTOS BY CHAD HOLDER

Right now, 26th Street ends in a chain-link fence; you’re near the river, but you don’t really know it’s there. That inaccessibility has resulted in many people in the community feeling like the river isn’t “theirs.” The overlook does several things: It’s a place for people to go, it’s a connector, and it creates an end to the trail the city developed that runs from Theodore Wirth Park across Minneapolis. It also raises the importance of east-west connections across the city. But most important, the overlook makes the river feel like a part of the community.

One of the great joys for me in this position is gaining not just an understanding of the natural systems of our parks and riverways but also insight into how these systems weave into and support the urban fabric of Minneapolis.

We’re constantly seeking ways to strengthen the connections between the parks and the communities surrounding them, and art and design can be a great way to accomplish that.

and equity. And since many of the apprentices who worked on the project live in the community, they feel strong ownership in the outcome, which can help more people embrace it.

We’ve been doing a lot of work on the river lately, but we’re invested in the whole park system. We understand how important neighborhood parks are to people—and how important the system as a whole is, because it interacts, as I said, with all the other systems that are operating in our city, making Minneapolis the city it is.

Are there ways that architects can be helpful in the work of the foundation?

Parks and civic spaces have to be created, maintained, and sustained; where they are, how we shape them, and what keeps them going all require policy support. It helps when architects and allied design professionals heighten their attention to policy issues and why and where things are happening, as well as who is making those decisions. Public policy is critical to the work we do. More architects and landscape architects could be vocal on policy and its impact on outcomes. >> continued on page 47

We worked with Juxtaposition Arts, for example, to design the railing at the overlook. We’ve had a long-standing and very successful partnership with them; their model of engaging young people and people of the community is a great fit for helping us meet the goals of both the project and our organization. They helped us get past basic interpretation of the river in the design to using art to talk about community

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THE

J U RORS

A I A M I N N E S OTA

2019 HONOR AWARDS

Steve Dumez, FAIA, is principal and director of design at the New Orleans studio EskewDumezRipple, winner of the 2014 AIA Firm Award.

Under his leadership, the firm has received numerous prestigious awards for design excellence, including more than 50 national awards. Dumez has been a frequent keynote speaker at institutions across the country, and his work has been featured in numerous national and international publications.

He received a B.Arch from Louisiana State University and an M.Arch from Yale University.

The seven 2019 winners of the Upper Midwest’s most prestigious architecture award vary in building type and geography, but they were all designed to resonate with and even enhance their surroundings in surprising ways. Most of them also put their natural or urban environment on display through expansive windows.

Our annual Honor Awards coverage tells the stories of these winning client-architect collaborations, with comments from the three nationally celebrated architects who made the selections.

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Anne Schopf, FAIA, is a design partner at Mahlum in Seattle, where she strives for the highest quality of design within strict parameters of performance.

Three of her projects have been recognized with AIA COTE Top Ten Awards, and in 2013 she was awarded the AIA Northwest and Pacific Region Medal of Honor. Schopf has held leadership positions with AIA Seattle and the AIA National Committee on Design, and she currently serves on the AIA National COTE Advisory Group.

Noah Biklen, AIA, is a partner at the New York firm Deborah Berke Partners. He leads projects for academic and cultural institutions that are in the process of transformation or reinvention. Biklen’s work includes the award-winning Cummins Indy Distribution Headquarters, Rockefeller Arts Center at SUNY Fredonia, and North Penn House. Biklen has taught at Parsons and the Yale University School of Architecture. He received an A.B. from Brown University in Urban Studies and an M.Arch from Yale University.

S E V E N 2 01 9 W I NNE R S Sixty-nine projects were submitted for a 2019 AIA Minnesota Honor Award.

Entries were evaluated for their degree of design invention, advancement of sustainable design, attention to detail, and other factors.

HGA Page 22

Christian Dean Architecture jointly with CityDeskStudio Page 26

Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center

KNOCK, inc.

VJAA Page 28

Salmela Architect Page 32

Cuningham Group Architecture Page 36

Goose Creek Safety Rest Area

Rothe Amundson

Minnehaha Academy

HGA Page 38

Kara Hill Studio Page 42

Derby Line I-91 Land Port of Entry

Foraged Boathouse

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2 01 9 H O N O R AWA R D W I N N E R

Phase 3 of the Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center ushers in a new era of performance, learning, and multidisciplinary collaboration in the arts at Macalester College

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Right: A courtyard on the east side of the theater building looks into the dance studio, green room, and costume shop on the first level and classrooms on the second level.

BY JOEL HOEKSTRA Last fall, an audience assembled at Macalester College to see the inaugural production in the college’s new theaterand-dance building. The performance, Letters|Home, wasn’t the only draw: Many attendees were eager to see the new space. For two semesters, the Theater and Dance Department had been squeezed into temporary quarters elsewhere on campus while the 50-yearold building that formerly housed the school’s proscenium stage was torn down. Now, the new flexible theater erected in its place was in the limelight.

The completion of the building in January 2019 marked the culmination of a yearslong effort to refresh the arts facilities

on campus. For more than a decade, Macalester officials had been working with Minneapolis-based HGA to renovate and expand the Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, built in 1963. The arts commons and music building were transformed in 2012, and a revamped studio-arts facility opened in 2014.

The third and final phase of the project, like the two that preceded it, includes a featured facade whose custom architectural expression reflects the arts

“Black-box theaters are by nature inwardly focused, but this one is rendered quite poetically on the exterior with a beautiful and elusive metal screen that appears to flow like the drapery and theatrical screening used inside.”

—JUROR COMMENT

MACALESTER COLLEGE ­ JANET WALLACE FINE ­ ARTS CENTER PHASE 3 Location: ­ St. Paul, Minnesota Client: ­ Macalester College Architect and ­ landscape architect: ­ HGA hga.com Design team: ­ See page 62 MEP, structural, ­ and civil engineer: HGA Construction manager: ­ McGough Construction Acoustical ­ and audiovisual design: Threshold Acoustics Theater planning ­ and lighting design: Schuler Shook Size: 58,000 square feet Cost: Withheld Completion: January 2019 Photographer: ­ Gaffer Photography

Opposite: Phase 3’s marquee entry facade—internally lit, perforated-metal scrims that flow like theater curtains—is especially dramatic at night. Above: A student production in the new flexible theater.

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VJAA INC. (NATE STEUERWALD, AIA)

The new Goose Creek Safety Rest Area shows how the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has prioritized quality design for travelers

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VJAA INC. (NATE STEUERWALD, AIA)

Opposite: An elevated walkway with a corten railing curves around the back of the building, giving travelers a serene view of Goose Creek below.

Below: Curving paths continue out around the park-like grounds.

Below: While the original structure was inwardly focused, the new facility is big on transparency, making it safer for travelers both in the building and on the elevated walk.

BY THOMAS FISHER, ASSOC. AIA

Think about how we use highway rest areas. Those in a hurry want to move quickly, and this new building accommodates that, with a clear path through glass doors and a glass-walled lobby to the restrooms. The landscape,

in contrast, encourages visitors to slow down and rest. An elevated walkway, like a miniature highway ramp, arcs out over the wooded slope behind the building, overlooking Goose Creek below and farm fields beyond. “The walkway widens out,” says VJAA’s Vincent James, FAIA, “so people can stop to have a conversation or view the landscape while others can still easily pass by.”

That curving path leads to radial, trellis-covered benches for people to sit and watch children on the arced and undulating VJAA-designed playground.

From there, a meandering path leads past pollinator plantings, upgraded and reused picnic pavilions, and a dog run, all

PETER J. SIEGER

In his ground-breaking book Thinking, Fast and Slow, the psychologist Daniel Kahneman describes “fast” thinking as quick, intuitive, and automatic, like driving, and “slow” thinking as controlled, contemplative, and effortful, like walking.

No building embodies these ideas better than the I-35 Goose Creek Safety Rest Area in Harris, Minnesota, designed by VJAA and winner of a 2019 AIA Minnesota Honor Award.

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2 01 9 H O N O R AWA R D W I N N E R

Nearly every living space in the 1,369-square-foot cabin looks out to the continuous deck, wooded shoreline, and lake.

First they found the perfect piece of land—five acres on a rocky peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior. “The day we went out to look at it, everything seemed to conspire to show off its perfection,” says Gail Amundson, who, with husband Peter Rothe, had long dreamed about building a cabin up north.

“The day was beautiful; there were eagles flying overhead.”

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After taking down an existing dwelling on the property, the couple renovated a log sauna into a one-room cabin, built an outhouse, and began the painstaking process of regenerating the forest, planting new trees and pulling out invasive grasses to make a place for the native plants and wildlife that disappeared when the area was logged a century ago. Then they looked for an architect who would understand their vision for a retreat that would stand in harmony with the landscape.

“We wanted something simple, low-impact, and easy to live in,” says Rothe. “No Sheetrock, fussy details, or ornamentation,” adds Amundson.

“Just a clean, modern style.”

It’s no surprise, then, that the pair chose to work with Duluth architect David Salmela, FAIA, whose modern designs have made a deep impression on Northwoods residential architecture over the past several decades. Salmela’s work resonates with a regional culture shaped

Two new outbuildings create a gateway to the site. Like the cabin down the hill, each features a directional skylight.

Owners with a passion for land restoration build Rothe Amundson, a site-sensitive modern cabin on Lake Superior

BY AMY GOETZMAN

Main cabin

Studios One-room cabin

Outhouse

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PETER J. SIEGER

The new Derby Line I-91 Land Port of Entry in Vermont optimizes operational performance while welcoming visitors to the U.S. with nods to the local landscape

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BY JOEL HOEKSTRA

Derby Line, Vermont, lies slightly north of the 45th parallel, the typical boundary between Canada and the U.S. But its aberrant location—the result of a surveying error—isn’t the only thing that makes the 600-person village unique: Several of its streets flow uninterrupted into Quebec, connecting with avenues in the Canadian town of Stanstead.

A handful of buildings in Derby Line

actually straddle the border, and a thick line painted on the floor of the local opera house reminds users to, in essence, “mind the gap.”

Official entry into the U.S. requires a passport or other travel documents.

For decades, southbound border traffic at Derby Line was handled by a U.S. border patrol team operating out of two small brick buildings located just west of I-91. But as the number of vehicles

passing through increased over the years, the existing facilities—built during the Lyndon Johnson administration—seemed increasingly undersized and antiquated.

Eventually, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) approved plans to replace the structures and chose Minneapolis-based HGA to design the new facility. “It was a particularly complex project because they wanted to keep the port operational during construction,” says HGA project architect Tom Clark, AIA.

DERBY LINE I-91 LAND PORT OF ENTRY Location: ­ Derby Line, Vermont Client: General Services Administration (GSA) Architect and landscape architect: HGA hga.com Design team: See page 62 Energy modeling: HGA Construction manager: DEW Construction Size: 21,420 square feet Completion: December 2018 Photographer: Gary Hall Photography, unless otherwise noted

The Derby Line facility’s modern design creates a dignified welcome and safe, streamlined experience for travelers crossing into the United States.

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