Lenna Drury Johnsen Undergraduate Thesis

HUMANIZING CONCRETE: THE REDEVELOPMENT OF A BRUTALIST BEAUTY INTO A COMMUNITY HUB

BY LENNA DRURY JOHNSEN

THESIS

Submitted under the supervision of Greg Donofrio, PhD to the University Honors Program at the University of Minnesota, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Design, summa cum laude, in Architecture.

8 MAY 2015

Š Copyright by Lenna Drury Johnsen 2015 All rights reserved

GREG DONOFIO, PhD

ADVISOR SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

MICHAEL BJORNBERG, FAIA

COMMITTEE MEMBER HGA ARCHITECTS, MINNEAPOLIS

JOHN COMAZZI

COMMITTEE MEMBER SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

ABSTRACT AND TABLE OF CONTENTS

This thesis seeks to investigate the potential of the Southeast Library in Minneapolis, Minnesota to become a multi-use space in order to discover how a midcentury building can be adapted to contemporary uses. Designed by celebrated Minnesotan architect Ralph Rapson, the building opened in 1963 as a credit union and was later adapted by Rapson to become a library in 1967. Its design exemplifies midcentury modern architecture, and has been considered for historic designation because of its significance as a Rapson-designed building. The Hennepin County Library is currently re-evaluating the building’s potential as a library, having completed a building survey in the fall of 2013 and a community engagement project in July 2014. Considering this work, in addition to archival material and contemporary preservation practices, this thesis proposes an expansion that adapts the structure in order to create a community hub. By taking cues from Rapson’s original Brutalist design, the proposed architecture maintains the building’s character-defining features while adding spaces that accomodate a greater range of uses and encourage public engagement with the building.

Keywords: Historic Preservation, Ralph Rapson, Library, Midcentury design, Brutalism, Minneapolis

Fig 1. View from 4th Street showing main entrance and the seasonal Nice Ride station that allows visitors to rent bikes around Minneapolis.

Own photo, 2014.

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I A THREATENED EXISTENCE

INTRODUCTION BUILDING HISTORY AND ZEITGEIST DESCRIPTION AND CURRENT CONDITIONS

II THE ARGUMENT FOR ADAPTATION RALPH RAPSON’S LEGACY MODERNIST PRESERVATION PRACTICES THE URGENCY OF DINKYTOWN

III THE FUTURE: HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY HCL BUILDING SURVEY HCL COMMUNITY MEETINGS

IV

PRECEDENT STUDIES

ADDITIONS TO HISTORIC BUILDINGS CONTEMPORARY LIBRARY DESIGN LIGHTING SUBTERRANEAN SPACES

V

THE FUTURE: A THESIS PROPOSAL CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES DESIGN

CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX

PROCESS WORK

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A THREATENED EXISTENCE INTRODUCTION BUILDING HISTORY AND ZEITGEIST BUILDING CONDITIONS

Fig 2. Approaching from University Ave., new development can be seen drawfing the library, as well as Rapson’s Chateau, built XX years after the library.

Own photo, March 2015 6

INTRODUCTION The Southeast Library is a historically significant building in danger of demolition due to the pressure of development and lackluster public opinion.

Its Brutalist architecture is hard to see, let alone appreciate, thanks to its overcrowded interior with tall bookshelves and outdated furniture. Additionally, the library’s limited opening hours further limits the public’s access to the building. However, its design is significant because it was the work of architectural visionary Ralph Rapson. Rapson was a leader of the Minnesotan design community, having led the school of architecture at the University of Minnesota for decades and his influence is still felt in the school as well as in the profession. Despite this significance, the library fails to meet the needs of the local community who views the building as more of an eyesore than a public resource or architectural gem due in large part to deferred maintenance items and underutilization of square footage. This puts its future in jeopardy — according to some developers, a solution to a local shortage of parking would be to

demolish the Southeast Library and build a parking structure.

Demolition is the fate of many forgotten Modernist buildings— a recent headline-grabbing example is Paul Rudolph’s Orange County Courthouse in New York and the controversy surrounding its remodeling or possible demolition.

While many Modernist buildings are threatened with demolition, designs like Rudolph’s and Rapson’s are a subject of debate amongst preservationists who are still developing methodologies for dealing with such structures even as they are being torn down.

While more traditional historic architecture such as Victorian houses require preservation focused on restoring material finishes and craft, Modern architecture was concerned with the realization of theories and thus requires preservation that considers design intent as well as material finishes.

It is in this context that the Southeast Library must be considered— the hyperlocal significance of its site in Minneapolis and its design by an architectural legend, Ralph Rapson, as well as its role as yet another example of a Modernist building under threat as preservationists debate methodology.

This thesis will first provide context for the Southeast Library’s threatened existence by providing a brief history of the building as well as describing its current condition both as a structure and as a library. It will then build the argument for adaptation by outlining how the building

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Fig. 3. A historical image of the State Capital Credit Union. Besides the removal of the trees, the site remains the same today.

“State Capitol Credit Union.” Photograph.

Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015) 8

Fig. 4. A interior view from 1967 that shows how low the counters are in relation to the ceiling height, in contrast to contemporary conditions.

“State Capitol Credit Union.” Photograph.

Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015)

fits into Ralph Rapson’s legacy in relation to the threat of its changing context (Fig. 2.). In the same chapter, preservation methodology and theory for Modernist buildings will be discussed in order to build the argument that Modernist buildings merit a different kind of preservation. This foregrounds the next chapter, where the work the Hennepin County Library has done in surveying the building and conducting community meetings regarding the condition of the Southeast Library will be summarized. Building off the key issues identified in those two documents, Chapter IV examines

BUILDING HISTORY AND ZEITGEIST The Southeast Library was originally designed as the University area branch of the State Capitol Credit Union in 1962 by preeminent Minnesotan architect Ralph Rapson (1914-2008). The branch was to serve the university-affiliated members of the credit union, and they wanted a “restrained and dignified physical expression that would create the image of a progressive and dynamic institution.” 1(Fig. 3,4) Due to financial difficulties, the credit union closed the branch soon after. In 1967, the Minneapolis Public Library purchased the building and commissioned Ralph Rapson to re-design the interior as a library.

Until 1967, the Southeast Library was located in the

Beaux-Arts style Pillsbury Library at the intersection of University and MN-65. The building was donated by local philanthropist John Pillsbury, who “had strong beliefs about the importance of education” and dictated the site in order “to serve the needs of the largest number.”2 But with the construction of a new Central Library across the Mississippi in 1960, this branch of the library wanted to change locations in order to serve more residents.

Rapson changed the building very minimally, adding fluorescent lights to the waffle slab system, a chair lift to a basement stair, removing one (but not all) of the safes, as well as designing new furniture for the space.3 Since that redesign, only a large outdoor sign has been added. In 2008, the building was closed for a short period while the Minneapolis Public Library and Hennepin County Library systems merged.

Because of the minimal nature of these changes, the character defining features of the building have been maintained and the Southeast Library is a clear example of the Brutalist style, which is characterized by a “rough, blocky appearance, and the expression of its structural materials, forms, and (in some cases) services on its exterior.” The name of the style is derived from the French term béton brut, which translates as “raw concrete”. The term was popularized by notable architects such as Le Corbusier, and clearly references the material most commonly found in the style -- concrete. 4

1. Small Banks: A Credit to Their Communities. Progressive Architecture. July 1964. (45)134-139. Page 134.

2.Hess, Roise and Company. Architecture and Historic Preservation on the Minneapolis Riverfront. N.p.: Saint Anthony Falls Heritage Board, March 2007. Page 19.

3. Minneapolis Plan Vault Collection: Significant Architects (N 115a), Northwest Architectural Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.

4. Saylor Academy. “Brutalist Architecture.”

5. Banham, Reyner. “The New Brutalism”. Architectural Record. December 1955.

precedent studies that inform the design proposal found in the final chapter. Process work for the design work can be found in the Appendix.

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Fig. 5. An exterior shot showing the building in relation to the neighboring church. From the sidewalk, the waffle slab is clearly visible.

Own photo, March 2015.

Fig. 6. An exterior shot showing the front entrance and the glass clerestory that floats the heavy roof.

Own photo, October 2013.

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Like other examples of this style of architecture, the design exposes the structural system and uses materials in their natural form while avoiding traditional architectural stylization. It showcases building technology and its form is determined by the organization of the plan, aligning with what Reyner Banham outlines as the core tenants of Brutalism- “1,Memorability as an Image; 2, Clear exhibition of Structure; 3, Valuation of materials ‘as found’” . In the Southeast Library, the jutting volumes underneath the roof clearly show how the plan is organized within, and the exposed columns

Brutalist architecture was born of a desire for a utilitarian, public, architectural style: “[Brutalism] was a useful, flexible, and dramatic style that was needed and frequently deployed across the country.”

articulate how the roof slab is held up (Fig. 5). The library shows more features of Brutalist architecture in its detailing. For example, the striations on the concrete parapet reveal the wooden forms used for in-situ casting, a common Brutalist method (Fig. 6).

Despite the recent resurging popularity of the movement at large, as seen in the popularity of publications such as Dwell Magazine, who publish what they term “the nice Modernism”6a to close to 400,000 subscribers every month. However, the Southeast Library and other Brutalist buildings have not received the same acclaim. Some of this may be tied to what Jacob Reidel terms “the pursuit of ‘anti-beauty.’”7 Unlike the thin elegant planes used in examples of International Style such as Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion or Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, Brutalist buildings were harsh and monumental. However, despite their aesthetics,

in the present”.8 The harshness of its Brutalist style contributes to its alien nature. Additionally, the condition of the interior affects the general perception of the building. A cramped and outdated atmosphere, limited hours, and poor accessibility have distanced the community from this public institution.

The Southeast Library sits at the corner of 4th Street and 13th Avenue SE in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To the east of the site is the large residential neighborhood of Marcy Holmes, and the commercial area of Dinkytown is immediately to the west. The southwest edge of the property is bounded by a Baptist church, and the University of Minnesota’s campus is two blocks further in that direction. The library is immediately surrounded by two story buildings, but the high rise Chateau Apartments and several midrise apartment buildings

6. Reidel, Jacob. “Ugly.” CLOG (2013): 126-27.

6a. Jacobs, Karrie. “Fruit Bowl Manifesto.” Dwell Media. http://www.dwell.com/info/about-dwell.

7. Ribstein, Susannah. “Flyover Brutalism.” CLOG (2013): 116-17.

DESCRIPTION AND CURRENT CONDITIONS An additional factor that affects the Southeast Library’s unpopularity is its current condition and perceived obsolescence. As Prudon notes, “support for preservation has always been tied to perception; the perceived value of a building or place (whether visual, historic, cultural, or otherwise)

8. Prudon, Theodore. Preservation of Modern Architecture.

Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008. Page 26.

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Fig. 7. An interior view showing how the columns obstruct sightlines and contribute to the crowded atmoshpere Own photo, March 2015.

Fig. 8. An interior view that highlights how the tall bookshelves contribute to a sense of overcrowding.

Own photo, October 2013.

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are within two blocks of the property, with similar development going up rapidly in the immediate vicinity. This changing landscape will be discussed in the next chapter.

The library is square in plan, and takes up roughly a quarter of the city block. Its shape is defined by a large waffle slab roof that extends beyond the edge of the interior spaces. The roof is made of concrete, like the columns that support it. These columns have four fins that point out on each side taper to a point before the capital expands outward again to meet the roof. Between these columns, there are

two shallow flights of stairs to the main entrance from 4th Street, and a driveway that runs around the building. There is a ramp on 13th Avenue to the small parking lot located on the southwest side of library, and from there the drive cuts right around the building and exits down onto 4th Street. In addition to this paved ramp, there is another on 13th Avenue that leads underneath the parking lot, but it has been sealed off, making the lower level parking garage inaccessible to the public.

A concrete retaining wall abuts the sidewalks, raising the site a couple feet above street level. In the

jutting volumes of brick or glass that are bounded by the dimensions of roof slab and contain offices and reading rooms. There is a continuous white wooden cap that wraps around the whole building that defines where the wall material ends and the glass clerestory begins. This clerestory, combined with the wooden cap, makes the waffle slab seem to float above the exterior walls. The squares of the waffle pattern are roughly a foot and half in each dimension, and a row can be seen in section beneath the concrete parapet. There are striations visible on the parapet, from wooden forms used for in-situ casting, and the waffle slab pattern is clearly visible.

There is only one story visible above grade, but the building is sited on a platform of raised earth bounded by a short concrete retaining wall, and there is another level below that is not currently open to the public. To access the library, there are

middle of the front façade there is a wide concrete stair with three handrails and four steps leading to a small platform, which is just below the level of the raised earth. This platform is concrete like the stairs, and maintains the same width. On the left and right sides of this platform, low wooden benches have been set into open nooks in the raised earth which expand beyond the width of the stairs. From the intermediary platform, there is another short flight of stairs that lead up to the front door, which is flush with the raised earth. The concrete continues in a band around the base of the building, but otherwise the site is covered in grass. The Southeast Library sits heavily on its site, and stands out from the architecture around it and above the activity of the street and sidewalk.

In its current condition, the building’s interior is failing to meet the needs of the library and its

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Fig. 9. A collaged view of the current condition of the undergound parking, which has been closed for decades and is now used for storage.

Own photo, October 2013.

Fig. 10. Some remenants of the credit union still remain- this safe is tucked away beneath a drinking fountain by the former drive through window.

Own photo, October 2013.

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Fig. 11. A view of the drive through window, which has been turned into an ad-hoc book return. This contributes to the perceived unsuitability of the building.

Own photo, October 2013.

patrons. The main issues are the cramped and outdated atmosphere, limited hours, and poor accessibility.

While the building was designed with an open plan, it is currently overcrowded with the furniture and infrastructure necessary for the library to function (Fig. 7). The main room is difficult to navigate because of the stacks and desks. This is aggravated by the height of the stacks. While Rapson himself specified their height to be close to 10 feet, this obscures his ceiling system, blocks light, and dwarfs the users (Fig. 8). However, their

his designs were not implemented. For example, drawings exist for the conversion of the drive through teller to a book return, but the library is currently using a glorified sled to catch returned books (Fig. 10;11). This decrepit condition contributes to the Southeast Library’s perceived functional obsolescence.

Another contributing factor to the public’s poor perception of the building is the library’s limited hours. As of March 2015, the Southeast Library is only open three days a week- Tuesday (9.00-17.00), Thursday (12.00-20.00), and Saturday (9.00-17.00).9

height is necessary to hold all the books the library branch needs to have in circulation because the building is not using its lower level. Due to water penetration, this lower level has been closed to the public for decades. These spaces are being used as ad-hoc storage and some of the finishings have been stripped from the walls and floor (Fig. 9;12;13).

Because of the condition of the lower level, only the first floor is being used for library programs. Of the available 12,920 sq ft, only 5,789 sq ft are being utilized. As such, the library feels cramped and crowded.

The condition of the furnishings also contributes to this troubled atmosphere. The chairs and tables are worn out, the computers dated, and the shelves are institutional metal. Although Rapson, who was known for his furniture design, oversaw the conversion from a credit union to library, some of

The Hennepin County Library cannot expect to have a successful branch library with such limited hours.

Whether these hours are a result of low patronage, or the low patronage is a result of limited hours, is difficult to determine. These hours have an adverse impact on the building’s role as a circulating library, as it is cumbersome to remember them and return books in a timely fashion, as well as on its role as a community hub. The building spends more time closed than open, and as such, seems like a nonfunctioning library to those passing by. And because the Southeast Library is located adjacent to the busy Dinkytown area, large quantities of people see the building with its light off.

The adjacency to Dinkytown contributes to another of the Southeast Library’s key issuesaccessibility. While the building is located close to several major bus routes (6, 16, 3, 2) as well as

9. Southeast Library” Hennepin County Library. http:// www.hclib.org/about/locations/southeast.

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Fig. 12. A historic photo of the meeting room from the 1960s. Note the complex shapes of the molded ceilings and the paneling on the walls. “Southeast Library.� Photograph. Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015) 16

Fig. 13. Aphoto of the current condition of the same meeting room. It is currently being used to store mostly trash and discarded magazine holders.

Own photo, October 2013.

a LRT Green Line station, has a Nice Ride bicycle station practically on its front doorstep, and is within walking distance of thousands of residents of the Marcy Holmes area, it still has to compete with commercial Dinkytown and local residents for parking. In its current condition, the Southeast Library has only seven parking spots. The closed lower level includes a 5,265 sq ft parking garage, but that is being used for storage. The building is currently meeting code for the 5,789 sq ft in use, but if the lower level is renovated and reopened, the library would likely be short of meeting code with the

As such, the library is not a welcoming building nor can it currently accommodate a high number of visitors.

These factors— cramped atmosphere, limited hours, and poor accessibility — have created a poor public perception of the Southeast Library building.

In its current condition, the Southeast Library does not inspire support for its preservation.

increase in programmatic space. Ideally, a renovation and rehabilitation would increase patronage of the library, which would in turn increase demand for parking, so this need will have to be addressed with any modifications to the structure. The building also has poor accessibility for those with disabilities.

The only entrance without a grade change is the back door off of the above-ground parking lot, which is only accessible by the drive ramps from the sidewalks. The lower level, in its current condition, is completely inaccessible. In Rapson’s designs for the library, he added a chair lift to the small stair from the underground parking, but that does not provide access to the ground level. And the cramped and overcrowded interior space does not accommodate those in wheelchairs, nor does it provide a suitable atmosphere for those with hearing or visual impairments, including the local elderly population.

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THE ARGUMENT FOR ADAPTATION RALPH RAPSON’S LEGACY MODERNIST PRESERVATION PRACTICES THE URGENCY OF DINKYTOWN

Fig. 14. A portrait of Ralph Rapson from a newspaper interview.

1. Master cleanse church-key selfies readymade, Fig. 16. Rapson talking with students at the University of Minnesota. Rapson held key roles at the school for decades, shaping cirriculum and ideology.

“School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture 75th Anniversary.” Photograph. May 1984.

Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015) 18

Fig. 15. Rapson at work with Elliel Saarinen, with whom he worked in the 1930s. Rapson also studied with Saarinen senior at Cranbrook Academy.

“Portrait of Ralph Rapson and Eero Saarinen.”

Photograph. ca. 20th Century. Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015)

RALPH RAPSON’S LEGACY Ralph Rapson was one of the most preeminent architects and architectural educators in the state of Minnesota (Fig. 14). In his AIA Guide to Twin Cities Architecture, Larry Millett calls Rapson “the leading modern architect in the Twin Cities.”10 Educated at the Cranbrook Academy in Michigan, Rapson was a total designer in the vein of other Modernists such as Arne Jacobsen in that their work encompassed furniture design and graphics in addition to architecture. A retrospective published in 1999, titled Ralph Rapson: 60 Years of Design, states that “[Rapson] was part of an exhilarating, revolutionary era in American architecture. He was taught by, studied and taught with, was hired by, and collaborated (and sometimes crossed swords) with many of the true luminaries of modern architecture and design.” 11 These figures included Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero and Eliel Saarinen, and Buckminster Fuller (Fig. 15). Rapson is known for his Case Study House #4, as well as the US embassies he designed in Copenhagen and Stockholm.

Rapson’s work is noteworthy as part of the

10.Millett, Larry. AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: the Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

N.p.: Minnesota Historical Society, 2007. Page 11.

11. Hession, Jane King, Rip Rapson and Bruce N. Wright.

Ralph Rapson: Sixty Years of Modern Design. 1999. Afton, Minnesota: Afton Historical Society Press. page XIX.

international Modern Movement, but he has a unique significance for the state of Minnesota, having taught at the University of Minnesota for 30 years, influencing generations of Minnesotan architects (fig. 16). According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2011 document Minnesota Modern, “Rapson’s influence on the architectural character of Minnesota can scarcely be overstated, as he cultivated in the citizens a comprehensive appreciation for progressive design, through practice as well as pedagogy.” As a building originally designed to serve University-affiliated members of the State Capital Credit Union, the Southeast Library is also indicative of Rapson’s influence in the local community.

The Southeast Library is significant architecturally as a structure characteristic of the Modern Movement, and because it exhibits many of the qualities of Rapson’s distinctive design aesthetic and ethos. Minnesota is quickly losing examples of Rapson’s work as icons such as Pillsbury House (Fig. 17) and the Guthrie Theater (Fig. 18) have been demolished, making it vital to preserve his remaining structures. The Southeast Library (Fig. 19) echoes detailing from Rapson’s other works and incorporates several of Rapson’s typical character-defining features- central plan design, disassembled box form, and transparency in the facade to engage the world outside the building. Millett described the original Guthrie Theatre as “a high point of architectural modernism in the Twin Cities” 13 and in 2002, the

12. French, Christine, and Elaine Stiles, eds. Minnesota Modern: Era of Innovation. N.p.: National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2011. Page 3.

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Fig. 17. An exterior view of the residential Pillsbury House, demolished in the 1990s. The jutting volumes recall the form of the Southeast Library as well as a capping effect from the white band of mateial.

1. Master cleanse church-key selfies readymade, Fig. 18. An exterior view of the now-demolished Guthrie Theater (1963). Note the materiality of the facade and the capping effect of the top tier.

1. Master cleanse church-key selfies readymade, 20

Fig. 19. An exterior view of the then State Capital Credit Union in the 1960s. The trees on the lot have since been torn out, alienating the building.

1. Master cleanse church-key selfies readymade,

National Trust for Historic Preservation listed it as one of its “11 Most Endangered Places.”14 However, the building was demolished in 2007, while the theatre moved to a new structure designed by Jean Nouvel.

The Pillsbury House was built in 1963 for Phillip and Eleanor Pillsbury, who allowed Rapson creative leeway as long as he stuck to their budget. The house was sold in 1995, but despite protests from the architectural community, was razed for the land15.

Rapson’s idea of breaking up the box is also showcased in plan. From the early stages of its design, the Southeast Library was developed as a series

landscape.”17 In Rapson’s Guthrie Theater, the façade blurred the lines between exterior and interior: “on opening night, layers of exterior screen, glass curtain wall, and lobby allowed people to participate in the pageantry of theater.”18 In the Southeast Library, the front waiting room is enclosed by glass walls while Rapson’s design development drawings emphasize the ability to see into the main spaces of the credit union.

In addition to glass, this extension of the interior outside is achieved through the use of planes of brick and concrete. For example, the Guthrie’s entryway,

of enclosed offices cells around a central banking hall. This approach was also present in the Pillsbury House where “most of the early schemes showed ‘parts’ arranged around a central stone courtyard or entryway” 15, as well as in Rapson’s Case Study Houses, where the central court is highlighted. (Fig. 24;25;26) Another characteristic feature of Rapson’s design is his emphasis on the public nature of his buildings through degrees of transparency and planes of material. This attitude is identified as a tenant of Modernism by scholars such as Prudon, who argues that it reinforces the underlying egalitarian nature of the movement: “Transparency gives the outside world a relationship with the goings on inside a building. But it is also intended to give those inside a building access to the outside world— to participate in its activities or simply to admire the surrounding

which was formally similar to the Southeast Library’s, had a concrete fin that is mirrored on the interior of the building, inviting people inside. And wall planes in the Southeast Library, like those in the Pillsbury House, extend in a similar fashion, drawing the eye outside. (Fig. 20;21;22;23) In addition to being characteristic of Rapson’s other buildings, the Southeast Library is architecturally significant in its own right, having won an AIA-MN Honor Award in 1964 and an AIA-MN 25 Year Award in 1995. Its waffle slab ceiling system is distinctive amongst Rapson’s work, and while a 1964 edition of Progressive Architecture19 associates the formwork of the Lower Level’s meeting room with the installation in the entryway of the Guthrie, it is a unique design feature rendered in a Modernist material— plastic. The Southeast Library is also unique for Rapson’s involvement in its conversion

13.Millett, Larry. AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: the Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

N.p.: Minnesota Historical Society, 2007. Page 265.

14.National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Explore All Endangered Places.” http://www.preservationnation.org/ issues/11-most-endangered/listings.html#.VUGGoyFVikp.

15.Millett, Larry. Once There Were Castles: Lost Mansions and Estates of the Twin Cities. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011. Page 323.

16. Ibid. Page 161.

17. Prudon, Theodore. Preservation of Modern Architecture. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.Page 40.

18.Hession, Jane King, Rip Rapson and Bruce N. Wright.

Ralph Rapson: Sixty Years of Modern Design. 1999.

Afton, Minnesota: Afton Historical Society Press. 153.

19. Small Banks: A Credit to Their Communities. Progressive Architecture. July 1964. (45)134-139. Page 134.

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Fig. 20.; Fig. 21. On the left, a night-time view of Rapson’s Guthrie Theater showing the transparency of the facade. During show nights, the building was turned insitde out, an effect also shown in Rapson’s rendering of the Southeast Library, where his figures can be seen clearly both inside and outside the building.

“Tyrone Guthrie Theater.”

Minneapolis Plan Vault Collection: Significant ArPhotograph. ca. 1962. Metropolitan Design chitects (N 115a), Northwest Architectural Archives, Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015) University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.

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Fig. 22.; Fig. 23. On the left, a photo of the entrance of the Guthrie Theater- note the formal similarity to the entrance of the Southeast Library, shown on the right.

“Tyrone Guthrie Theater.” Photograph. ca. 1962.

Own photo, March 2015.

Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015)

Fig. 24.; Fig. 25. On the left, a diagram drawn by Rapson to explain his breaking up the box. On the right, the plan of the Santa Clara Performing Arts Center, where the concept of a lid-like roof can be seen.

“Greenbelt Case Study House” Drawing. ca. 1945.

Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015)

Fig. 26. An early combination plan/ perspective drawing from Rapson that depicts the floating roof that contains the volumes below, also seen in plan.

“Southeast Public Library” Site Plan. ca. 1964.

Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library (accessed May 12, 2015) 23

Fig. 27. An exterior view of Paul Rudolph’s Orange County Government Center in New York, a building whose functionaility has been recently contested.

Kimmelman, Michael. “A Chance to Salvage a Master’s Creation Paul Rudolph Building in Goshen, N.Y., Faces Threat.” New York Times, January 27, 2014.

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Fig. 28. A rendering of the proposed addition to the Government Center that has been criticized for its lack of sensitivity to the original building.

Ibid.

from a credit union. It is a testament to his belief in the flexibility of the open plan.

MODERNIST PRESERVATION PRACTICES A recent high profile example of Modernist Preservationist project is Paul Rudolph’s Orange County Government Center (Fig. 27). Faced with criticism regarding the architecture’s suitability for modern government use, plans have been set in motion to construct an addition to the building.

New York Times critic Michael Kimmelman has called this proposed addition “an especially soulcrushing glass box” 20 (Fig. 28). The Government

historic designation under the 50 year rule are being overlooked, demolished, and often written off as ugly and insignificant. Kelli Shapiro, among other preservationists, stresses “the need for preserving for posterity even those segments for the built environment that may not currently be in vogue.”23 As Prudon notes, at one point “Art Deco was considered frivolous and the Victorian regarded as tasteless” 24 so Modern buildings should not be written off because they are not compatible with contemporary aesthetics.

However, current preservation practices were

Center is representative of the discussion concerning threatened Modern buildings across the country, especially Brutalist structures.

According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s website, “day by day, a steady campaign of demolition erodes the physical fabric of the recent past, with little consideration of its community importance, design significance, or role in creating a sustainable future.”21 Modern buildings still are associated with neighborhood clearing policies, where blocks of older sturctures were razed to make way for more efficient, cleaner, larger, Modern buildings. Due to this loss of historic neighborhoods that were often working class, the “anti-modern bias resulting from the advocacy of the 1960s and 1970s is only slowly being overcome.”

22 In the meantime, buildings that do not qualify for

designed with more traditional architecture in mind.

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards set out by the National Park Service are often more concerned with the minute details of buildings-- how brickwork is laid, specific coloring of tiles etc.25 However, because Modern architecture as a movement, was focused on innovative materials and design intent, it can be argued that a strict approach to preservation is not suitable for Modern buildings. Rehabilitation, rather than preservation, could be considered a more productive and sustainable way to treat buildings of the recent past.

According to the National Parks Service, Rehabilitation is defined as” the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values.”26

20. Kimmelman, Michael. “A Chance to Salvage a Master’s Creation Paul Rudolph Building in Goshen, N.Y., Faces Threat.” New York Times, January 27, 2014.

21. National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Modernism and the Recent Past.” http://www.preservationnation.org/ information-center/saving-a-place/ 22.Prudon, Theodore. Preservation of Modern Architecture. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.Page viii.

23. Shapiro, Kelli. “From Modernism to McDonald’s: Ideology, Controversy, and the Movement to Preserve the Recent Past.”Journal of Architectural Education 61, no. 2 (November 2007): 12.

24.Prudon, Theodore. Preservation of Modern Architecture. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.Page 26.

25. National Park Service. “Preservation Brief 17” 26. National Parks Service. “Rehabilitation as a Treatment.” http://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/four-treatments/treatment-rehabilitation.htm.

25

Fig. 29. A rendering of the proposed addition to the Lewis and Clark Library- note the smaller scale, but similar form and materiality of the addition. .Lamb, William. “Near St. Louis, A Midcentury-Modern Public Library Faces Demolition.” Dwell, April 17, 2014 .

26

Fig. 30. An exterior rendering of the Marshall- a midrise mixed use building built in 2014 by Doran company. This is typical in style of Dinkytown development.

Roper, Eric. “Development plans create a Dinkytown showdown.” Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 22, 2013.

For more traditional architecture, rehabilitation is considered only when “it is assumed the property is more deteriorated prior to work”27 while preservation is the favored method, concerned with retaining historic fabric through repair and conservation.

With regards to Modern design, Prudon notes that “finding a functionally compatible use and not just a continuing or adaptive use could be one of the fundamental acts of preservation in the spirit of the original architecture.”28 And the spirit of Modernist buildings such as Rapson’s work can be considered as an egalitarian approach to architecture-- one

frequently, a current interpretation of space needs for a particular building type has been used to declare an otherwise sound building obsolete.”30 This is true in cases like the Orange County Government Center as well as other public buildings. As two scholars in the architectural journal CLOG’s Brutalist Issue note, “it is not just the buildings that are threatened- in the case of public buildings by civil servants; it is the very ideology of architecture for the greater good that is threatened”31 This framework for understanding Brutalist buildings echoes Prudon and other scholars’ views on preservation methods concerning Modernist

that uses mass produced, readily available materials and open plans to make structures accessible and adaptable. Rapson demonstrated the adaptability of his credit union design when he converted it into a library in 1967, and the process should be repeatable in 2015.

However, in addition to the ubiquity of Modern buildings, their age sometimes causes perceived functional obsolescence. In her book on contemporary downtown libraries, Mattern states that “in theory, mid-century modular planning enlivened libraries by uniting books and readers. In practice, however, large rectangular footprints, uniform eight-foot-high ceilings, and harsh fluorescent lighting rarely made these buildings exciting or even pleasant places to be.”29 While that may be true for some libraries designed 50 years ago, architectural gems such as the Southeast Library are written off because “too

architecture.

An example of yet another threatened Modernist building is the 1963 Lewis and Clark Branch Library in Moline Acres, Missouri.32 Faced with the structure’s demolition and replacement with a new building, local preservationists backed a design for an addition (Fig. 29) that followed the standards outlined by the National Park Service. While the demolition has gone ahead as planned, the unexecuted alternate design offers an example of how designers can respond to a historic structure in a sensitive manner.

A similarly robust approach to rehabilitating the Southeast Library, if executed while maintaining the building’s character defining features, will preserve Rapson’s design intent, as it is evidenced by the documents in the Northwest Architectural Archives and the qualities exhibited in his other work. And as Prudon notes, “if the preservation of modern

27. Ibid.

28.Prudon, Theodore. Preservation of Modern Architecture. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.Page 71.

29.Mattern, Shannon. The New Downtown Library. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2007. Page 4.

30. Prudon, Theodore. Preservation of Modern Architecture. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.Page 167.

31. De Graaf, Reinier and Baird, Laura. “Public Works: Architecture by Civil Servants.” CLOG (2013): 122-123.

32.Lamb, William. “Near St. Louis, A Midcentury-Modern Public Library Faces Demolition.” Dwell, April 17, 2014 .

27

Fig. 31. A view of Dinkytown as it appears in April 2015- the Marshall can be seen in the bacl, Rapson’s Chateau looming above a new multi-story development across the street from the library.

Own photo, April 2015.

28

Fig. 32. An undated historical photo of the same view- note that Bunge Tower can be seen and the overall smaller scale of the surrondings.

“Marcy Holmes Neighborhood.” Photograph.

Metropolitan Design Center, Digital Content Library, https://dcl.umn.edu/search/show_details/dc010278 (accessed May 12, 2015)

architecture relies more firmly on the intangible concept of original design intent than on tangible materials, its rehabilitation should not diminish its significance any more than that of traditional building preservation” 33 THE URGENCY OF DINKYTOWN The Southeast Library is located in the Dinkytown neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, which is well known as a hub for student activity, being just north of the University of Minnesota’s campus and filled with bars and restaurants. In recent years,

tall buildings, four or five is the new norm. This has a direct impact on the Southeast Library’s site. Not only is the structure dwarfed by its surroundings, but Dinkytown’s programmatic makeup has changed, becoming more of a “an entertainment destination”35, according to one Star Tribune article.

The discourse surrounding Dinkytown is often nostalgic concerning the days of Bob Dylan, who spent a few years in the area. In Bob Spitz’s biography of Dylan, he asserts that The college kids discovered Dinkytown the way NYU students discovered SoHo and Berkeley

Dinkytown has been transformed by developers seeking to maximize profits by constructing luxury student housing (Fig. 30; 31;32). As these apartment buildings are built, they replace small businesses and parking lots, putting more strain on the already limited availability of parking. In this changing context, it becomes especially important to secure the future of a building like the Southeast Library. Due to deferred maintenance items and underutilization of square footage, the library fails to meet the needs of the local community, and as such, is viewed as more of an eyesore than a public building. This puts its future in jeopardy— according to some developers, a solution to Dinkytown’s parking problem would be to tear down the Southeast Library and replace it with a parking structure34. The main transformation of the local architectural fabric is in height; while Dinkytown used to be comprised of two or three story

grads resettled the Haight. They ... renovated existing shops, and eventually opened small businesses of their own that reflected and catered to the new scene. Towards the end of the 1950s, Dinkytown managed to inspire a certain cultural renaissance of its own. 36 The fact remains that Dinkytown’s fabric has changed drastically in the past decade, and looks to continue developing. As one of the few truly public buildings left in Dinkytown, the Southeast Library has the opportunity to become a cornerstone of the neighborhood and reach the thousands of college students who have moved into the new constructions.

And while, as Millett notes in his AIA Guide, that “the oldest buildings go back to about 1900,”37 the rapid pace of development might result in a pocket of buildings all built within five years of each other, a unhealthy lack of diversification.

33. Prudon, Theodore. Preservation of Modern Architecture. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.Page 72.

34. Millerbernd, Anne. “Dinkytown could add bike lanes, parking.” Minnesota Daily, December 8, 2014.

35. Roper, Eric. “Development plans create a Dinkytown showdown.” Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 22, 2013.

36. Spitz, Bob. Dylan: A Biography. N.p.: W.W. Norton & Company, 1991.Page 76.

37.Millett, Larry. AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: the Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul. N.p.: Minnesota Historical Society, 2007. Page 265.

29

THE FUTURE: HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY HCL BUILDING SURVEY HCL COMMUNITY MEETINGS

Fig. 33. An exterior view of the library.

Own photo, April 2015.

30

BUILDING SURVEY RESULTS During the spring of 2013, the Hennepin County Library (HCL) hired a team to conduct a facilities assessment of the building, which published an executive summary in October 2013 (Fig. 34). This team consisted of members of the Hennepin County Property Services, the Hennepin County Library, and Paul Gates Architect, as well as other engineering and architectural consultants hired for the project.

The assessment was completed in order to establish current conditions and speculate on necessary improvements. 38 The executive summary provides a catalog of the problematic issues with the building in addition to descriptions of the architecture, as well as recommendations for the future of the Southeast Library.

The executive summary also acknowledges the potential for historic designation, suggesting that the building meets two of the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Regulations’ criteria: #4 ) The property embodies the distinctive characteristics of an architectural or engineering type or style, or

38. Hennepin County Property Services, Hennepin County Library, and Paul Gates Architect. “Hennepin County Library—Southeast Facility Assessment.” Hennepin County Library, October 14 2013. Page 2

method of construction; as well as #6) The property exemplifies works of master builders, engineers, designers, artists, craftsmen or architects.39 The summary notes that the library could be reviewed

by Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) staff 40, which could result in historic designation, meaning the building could not be removed or modified without the approval of the HPC and CPED. The Executive Summary states that due largely to its age, its architectural style and its original construction as a financial institution, the building has a number of physical deficiencies that limit its function as a public library. Some of these liabilities (the lack of accessibility, for example, and the remote location of the parking garage to the library public areas) can be remedied with a thorough building renovation.

Other limitations are likely to remain even after such a remodeling.40 The assessment identifies these remaining limitations as the First Floor plan configuration, small footprint, massive and inflexible construction, remoteness of the Lower Level, small First Floor staff work area, one-lane drive ramp to garage, and limited parking.

With respect to building codes, the assessment notes that the Southeast Library is in violation of “numerous provisions.”41 These include the lack of fire alarms, fire rated stairs, separation of garage and boiler room, stair nosings, ceiling height in 39. US Department of the Interior National Park Service Cultural Resources. “Preservation Brief 17: Architectural Character; Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving their Character.”

40. Hennepin County Property Services, Hennepin County Library, and Paul Gates Architect. “Hennepin County Library—Southeast Facility Assessment.” Hennepin County Library, October 14 2013. Page 7.

41. Ibid. Page 8 31

Hennepin County Library—Southeast Facility Assessment Executive Summary Hennepin County Property Services Hennepin County Library Paul Gates Architect October 14, 2013

Fig. 34. The cover of the HCL Facility Assessment report, which is available online.

Hennepin County Property Services, Hennepin County Library, and Paul Gates Architect. “Hennepin County Library—Southeast Facility Assessment.”

Hennepin County Library, October 14 2013. http:// www.hclib.org/~/media/Hennepin%20Library/aboutlibrary/Building%20Projects/southeast/131014-selibrary-facility-assessment-executive-summary.pdf 32

the parking garage, and ventilation and drainage.

However, the assessment states that these violations can be corrected in a thorough building renovation and an application for exemption from parking requirements.

The assessment also catalogs in great detail the condition of the building and its components. The main problems with the property were identified as the site paving, roofing, and the mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the water penetration into the Lower Level. The assessment concludes that these problems are fixable, with “appropriate

main desk to the perimeter rooms. However, these spaces could easily be converted to study rooms much like those found in university libraries. The report also blames the small footprint of the First Floor for the high stack height, a fact that could be remedied by the use of the square footage in the Lower Level. It also presents the fact that the Lower Level programmatically separate as a disadvantage when it could be considered another aspect of the building’s character than can inform its organization and design. The Facility Assessment is a useful tool when considering the Southeast Library’s future and

investment” and that the building “can be made functional to 21st century standards without compromising the original architectural intent.”

42 It stresses the importance of the uniqueness of the building in the HCL system as the only library designed by a renowned modernist architect, but also notes that the “site has clear redevelopment potential and could readily support construction of a new library”43 while acknowledging that historic designation may prohibit demolition.

The recommendations outlined by this report, while well-informed of the building’s present condition, respond to the site as it likely fits into the HCL budget. It can be argued that some of the factors identified as limitations are in fact easier to overcome than the report suggests. The report takes issue with the fact that the interior walls are thick: noting that they restrict sight lines from the

its recommendations should be taken into account, but a rigorous design process could solve many of the building’s perceived issues.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND FINDINGS In 2013, HCL invited a team led by Steve Kelley of the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota to conduct an engagement project with the four neighborhoods associated with the Southeast Library: Marcy Holmes, Como SE, Prospect Park, and Cedar-Riverside. This team was comprised of researchers from the University, as well as designmethods consultants who advised on approaches to public engagement. In conjunction with the county, the team named stakeholders to an Advisory Committee. In addition to compiling demographic information and conducting a site analysis, the project team worked with the Committee to engage

42. Ibid. Page 9 43. Ibid. Page 12 33

Fig. 35. The cover of the HCL Public Engagement report, which is also available online.

Kelly, Steve. “Envisioning a Crossroads Library: A Report on Public Engagement and the Future of the Southeast Library.� Hennepin County Library, 21 January 2015. http://www.hclib.org/about/buildingprojects/current-projects-container/current-projects/ southeast-library/~/media/388C191364264CEBB08D6 700E7B334A6.ashx 34

with stakeholders in a series of community meetings.

These meetings were conducted using design thinking engagement methods such as mad-libs, photo collaging, and story boarding, in an effort to make the process innovative and inclusive. The project team has compiled a list of findings from these meetings into an executive summary (Fig. 35).

The findings, grouped into four different categories, activities/ services spaces, role of the librarian, and accessibility, outline the wishes for the building’s programmatic future.

The advisory committee provided in depth

such as non-English material, as well as language learning spaces, which has clear potential for crossover with the university resources. They also suggested the library become an access point for technology and related training49. Stakeholders and community participants envisioned a “café-like space” 50 for groups to meet, in addition to green space that would ”attract neighbors to the library during the warmer months, as Minnesotans value taking advantage of the outdoors when possible”51 , and “a space that would promote the creation of art, making of music, and collaboration on creative

analysis of these findings, elaborating on their relevance and possible implementations. Essentially, what emerged from the meetings was the idea that “the library as a cultural center could foster connections and relationships among community members of all backgrounds and highlight diversity in the neighborhoods while simultaneously fostering a sense of identity and place within the community.”45 To achieve this, it highlighted the importance of an “established, designated children’s section” 46 to foster education and community engagement, a sentiment echoed by the university students who expressed a desire to “interact with community members not necessarily related to the University community”57 in addition to more study space located close to campus. With the idea of the library serving as a crossroads, participants suggested “culturally relevant programming”48

projects.”52 In order to house this programming, designing “flexible space” that would be “essential to allowing the library to adapt and change over time so that it can more easily incorporate activities that may fulfill additional needs or desires in the future”53 was emphazied, but recognized that a single property may not be sufficient, reflecting that “other library systems have been able to meet geographically distinct patron needs through the use of bookmobiles or satellite library facilities.”54 While the community meetings and analysis addressed the needs of the Southeast Library in the abstract, the findings will prove invaluable for adapting Rapson’s architecture.

45. Kelly, Steve. “Envisioning a Crossroads Library: A Report on Public Engagement and the Future of the Southeast Library.” Hennepin County Library, 21 January 2015.

Page 26 46. Ibid. 20 47. Ibid. 20 48. Ibid. 20

49. Ibid. 22 50. Ibid. 29 51. Ibid. 29 52. Ibid. 25 53. Ibid. 28 54. Ibid. 30 35

PRECEDENT STUDIES ADDITIONS TO HISTORIC BUILDINGS CONTEMPORARY LIBRARY DESIGN LIGHTING SUBTERRANEAN SPACES

MUNKEGAARDSSKOLEN, DORTE MANDRUP ARKITEKTER ; 2009 [ARNE JACOBSEN; 1957] COPENHAGEN, DENMARK WALKER LIBRARY, VJAA; 2014 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

LAKEWOOD CEMETERY MAUSOLEUM, HGA; 2012 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Opposite, from top to bottom: Munkegaardskolen, Dorte Mandrup Walker Library, VJAA Lakewood Mausoleum, HGA Southeast Library, Ralph Rapson 36

37

ADDITIONS TO HISTORIC BUILDINGS PRECEDENT

MUNKEGAARDSKOLEN GENTOFTE, DANMARK DORTE MANDRUP ARKITEKTER, 2009 ARNE JACOBSEN, 1957

ABOVE Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter’s “light prisms” in the 2009 addition.

BELOW Arne Jacobsen’s original design, as seen from the play fields.

Munkegårdsskolen was designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1957. The school is located in the municipality of Gentofte, north of Copenhagen. In the 2000s, “changing educational and pedagogic principles exacerbated by the need for increased space led to proposals for radical renovations” (349), and Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter were selected to renovate the existing building as well as design additional space to house new programming such as teaching kitchens and laboratories. The changes made to Jacobsen’s design were subtle- hidden pocket doors to join classrooms, discrete fire alarms, and other changes to bring the building up to code. In the new addition, Mandrup continued the character defining features of Jacobsen’s orginal design- scale, daylighting, and using materials to draw nature indoors. In that sense, it is a successful addition to a historically significant buildingi Mandrup preserved Jacobsen’s ideas and attitudes while making her design unique from his by using modern graphic styles and bold colors. However, these new materials may not stand up to years of children’s play as Jacobsen’s material palette did.

38

LEFT

As seen from above, Jacobsen’s design included courtyards for each pair of classrooms. Every courtyard had a unique design, which contributed to the sense of smaller communities within the larger institutional whole.

RIGHT

This is a view of one of the courtyards from the hallways.

Jacobsen used glass and brickwork to draw the outside indoors, alliveating some of the harshness of his modern materials.

SCALE The school was designed for 850 students, but Jacobsen based his design on the more intimate scale of provincial schools. The plan of Munkegårdsskolen is based on a grid with rows of classrooms and administrative offices. The classrooms are one story tall while the more communal spaces (offices, gym, and secondary education) are two stories tall. The courtyards add a sense of privacy and individuality to the school, as each one has a unique design. The building was also designed at a child’s scale- while adults might feel claustrophobic beneath the heavily sloping ceilings in the hallway, they make the school feel less imposing to children. The long hallways between the blocks of classrooms also create different scales within the school community- one can be in a specific classroom by a specific courtyard, but also in a hallway that is shared with many other children and teachers. This sense of the greater whole is also present when looking into the courtyards because one can see through and into the other glass hallways.

DAYLIGHTING These courtyards and glass hallways bring light into the building. One can see Jacobsen’s focus on

daylighting in section especially. Each classroom has a clerestory that brings light into the room as well as the entry vestibule beyond. In addition, windows were placed at a child’s eye level, making the spaces feel more open and airy at their scale and inviting them to look out into the outside world. Jacobsen’s use of glass in the entryways also provides the hallways with a sense of directionality- movement towards the light coming in from the courtyards and the exterior motivates progression through the space. The light also softens the material of the space, allowing a harsh vocabulary to seem less imposing.

DRAWING NATURE INDOORS Jacobsen relied on a Modernist vocabulary of brick and metal, using yellow brick for both external and internal facades and stainless steel to cover the roof.

Glass is framed using white lattice struts while doors have teak frames. The floors are asphalt, which creates a continuous dark plane and makes the yellow brick seem lighter. However, while the material choices seem imposing, they actually continue Jacobsen’s scaling of the building. The yellow brick was laid in small horizontal courses, which makes the wall more 39

Mandrup’s “light prisms” are under great stress from the elements- the graphic patterns are already fading.

A close up of the new materialsclearly in contrast to the 1950s brick in the background.

tactile and understandable at a child’s height. The materials also age well, withstanding decades of child’s play and learning.

As part of Jacobsen’s total design, he designed all the furniture, lighting, fixtures etc. He used green and orange as his main color palate, which can be seen in the desk design. While his furniture is no longer used in the classrooms themselves, there are a few present in the newly renovated mixed use space. They have been replaced with smaller versions of contemporary furniture- large shared desks with office-style chairs instead of Jacobsen’s individual set designed for a single child. Jacobsen’s desk was made of wood and metal, a more tactile experience than the synthetic material the new furniture is made of.

In addition to light and modernist materials, Jacobsen also uses plant life and nature in his design.

There are some literal insertions of trees into the hallway, but the presence of green space just outside the windows of the classrooms and hallways in the courtyard and in the site allows the exterior to integrate into the architecture of the interior, making 40

Continuing Jacobsen’s attention to scale, the new furniture has nooks and movable parts scaled to children.

it a more pleasant experience.

DORTE MANDRUP ARKITEKTER, 2009 Listed in 1996, a recent renovation by Dorte Mandrup was deemed necessary because the school institution was changing. Now more focused on project-based learning, Munkegårdsskolen lacked spaces designed for group work desired in modern classrooms. As such, Dorte Mandrup Arkitektur was tasked with updating Jacobsen’s design to accommodate contemporary education practices.

The firm chose to mirror Jacobsen’s courtyards below grade, creating a large communal space beneath the ground. Like Jacobsen’s work, each courtyard has a unique design, but translated into strong modern graphics. These courtyards also bring light into the new communal space, continuing Jacobsen’s focus on daylighting. In order to achieve this, Mandrup used stark white and glossy with bright pops of color and graphic prints in contrast to Jacobsen’s use of yellow brick and asphalt. For example, in the new multipurpose hall that contains a media library,

lounge, and stage, the designers took a pattern of Jacobsen’s to use as the curtain. In the bathroom, they printed a Jacobsen design onto glass panels to cover the floor and walls. However, this translation into modern materials may not stand the test of time.

Already, the white floors stairs were scuffed while the courtyard spaces were dirty and filled with natural debris. It remains to be seen if the material choices will withstand years of child’s play. Inside Jacobsen’s original building, Mandrup added new furniture designed with the modern classroom in mind- media cabinets, lockers, etc. Once again, these are in highly synthetic, glossy materials that differentiate the new from Jacobsen’s original design. Mandup also inserted a connecting door between classrooms to allow for greater collaboration and group work. This door is a more low-profile addition to the space that does not disrupt the scaling of Jacobsen’s original design.

Because of the large size of the main addition, Mandrup attempts to use other methods to create a smaller scale for the children to occupy and play in.

While Jacobsen created courtyards that were more or less private to the greater while, Mandrup places hers inside glass prisms, making them visible to the entire

room. So despite the formal connection to Jacobsen’s work, these courtyards serve a different purpose programmatically- light catching and not play space.

It also shows that Mandrup was not as focused on the exterior greenspace as much as Jacobsen was. By creating synthetic courtyards with poured floors, she does not bring nature inasmuch as she brings light into the space. This may be a direct result of the addition’s siting below grade. But by creating bleacher steps and circular furniture pieces that float in the plan, Mandrup attempts to provide scaling in a similar way to Jacobsen- a child could be playing with a friend on their step, within the larger set, within the larger room. But Mandrup is more successful in this with the design of the multipurpose space. There, the insertion of playful furniture allows for more free, private play. There are couches with nooks and crannies to huddle into and read or talk with friends. The large stairs can be climbed in, over, and around while the bookcases can be pushed and pulled. This furniture, while providing more framework than the courtyards, achieve a similar intent- to provide space for play that allows children to be themselves and belong to a smaller community as well as the larger whole.

IN COMPARISON WITH THE SOUTHEAST LIBRARY This case study has relevance to the Southeast Library project because of the similarities between Arne Jacobsen and Ralph Rapson’s original designs as well as the modern demands on the structures. The buildings were built within 5 years of each other (Southeast in 1962 and Munkegaardskolen in 1957), and both architects designed in a Modernist style. Additionally, both had a “total design” approach to architecture- they designed not only the structure, but the furniture and fixtures as well. This presents a challenge when adapting to modern uses- often these aspects of the buildings do not meet modern saftey or enviornmental standards. Once again, the approach to preserving Modernist structures must place emphasis on the architect’s idea rather than the condition of the structure. And in this school, as well as the library, materials are used to pull the exterior to the interior and blur the line between outside and inside. Both architects designed with daylighting in mind, and one of the most successful aspects of Dorte Mandrup’s renovation and addition is that she differentiated her work from that of Jacobsen’s by using graphic prints and translating his color palette and material choices to 21st century equivilants.

41

CONTEMPORARY LIBRARY DESIGN PRECEDENT

WALKER LIBRARY MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA VJAA COMPLETED 2014

Located in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, the Walker Library was designed to have a civic presence. Its site is close to a major Metro Transit hub, as well as the Midtown Greenway and the intersection of Hennepin and Lagoon- two busy streets. The architecture responds to these surrondings by using a large curtain wall to make the library visible to the people on the sidewalks and in their cars, and that also provides views out onto the busy streets. VJAA designed the interior to be bright and modern, using saturated colors and furniture with clean lines. The materiality and scaling of the building make the library seem less institutional- the walnut covered stacks and easily movable furniture could fit into any living room.

Special care has been taken with arguably two of a 21st century library’s most important roles- advocating childrens’ literarcy and making technology accessible.

Thanks to the design’s open plan, high ceilings, and daylighting, the Walker Library feels bright and airy- an “inventive, flexible, and cheerful design.”

42

SKYLIGHTS FOR NATURAL LIGHT SCALED FOR CHILDREN

VISUAL CONNECTION TO STREET UNDERGROUND PARKING

PROGRAMMATIC SPACE

WALKER LIBRARY

SOUTHEAST LIBRARY (CURRENT)

~15,000 sq ft

(AVAILABLE)

12,920 sq ft 5,789 sq ft

1,290 sq ft PARKING

SOUTHEAST LIBRARY

~15,000 sq ft

6,555 sq ft

IN COMPARISON WITH THE SOUTHEAST LIBRARY The Walker Library has about 15,000 sq ft dedicated to its underground parking equaling about 50% of its total 30,000 sq ft.

Meanwhile, in its current state, the Southeast Library only has 1,290 sq ft for parking, or about 22% of total square footage. However, if the underground parking garage were to be reopened, the building would have 6,555 sq ft available for parking. If the building expands, more parking will be needed to accomadate the new space.

43

ENTRANCE FACING TRANSIT HUB

FURNITURE EASILY REARRANGED INTO PODS

VIEWS FROM/TO BUSY INTERSECTION

44

COMMUNITY ROOMS

INFORMATION

CHILDREN’S SECTION

COMPUTERS

TOP LEFT

The Walker Library has bright, light furniture that is easy to move around, encouraging user interactions. Outlets are integrated into the tables, and wifi is available throughout. The furniture is varied in design, breaking up the open plan into focused areas.

TOP RIGHT

The library’s design uses color for emphasis. For example, this bright fuschia wall is where the librarians post useful information such as event posters, maps and tax forms.

BOTTOM LEFT

The Walker Library’s large windows allow for a lot of light, as well as interaction with the sidewalk outside. However, the sectioned blinds allow users to adapt their surrondings to their needs.

BOTTOM RIGHT

In addition to the bright colors, the walnut used throughout the library on the walls and the bookshelves contributes to the appropriate scaling of the building. The tactility of the material makes the shelves feel less industrial.

IN COMPARISON WITH THE SOUTHEAST LIBRARY

LEFT: The stack height at the Walker Library is on a human scale, allowing for people to look over the shelves.

RIGHT: The stacks at the Southeast Library, on the other hand, are much too tall for anyone to see over them, resulting in a cramped atmosphere.

45

LIGHTING SUBTERRANIAN SPACES PRECEDENTS

LAKEWOOD MAUSOLEUM MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA HGA COMPLETED 2012

The Lakewood Garden Mausoleum, located in the historic Lakewood Cemetary near the Uptown neighborhood in Minneapolis, was designed in 2012 by HGA Architects. Its architecture responds to both its surrondings and contemporary memorial and frunerary practices. While sunken into the ground, the building brings light into the chambers through skylights and retains that light through the use of high quality materials and clean geometry. This creates a serene atmosphere- one appropriate for mourning. HGA also opens the building up to the surronding nature through a precise sequence of openings. These views onto trees that change with the seasons, as well as older memorials place the structure into its spiritual context as well. The mausoleum’s geometry and treatment of light echo Jørn Utzon’s work, as well as Ralph Rapson’s Southeast Library.

46

LEFT

The interior of the Mausoleum is finished with high quality materials like Venetian plaster, marble, and onyx that enhance the light and create a reflective, serene atmosphere.

RIGHT

A similar approach can be seen in Jørn Utzon’s Bagsværd Church, where curving concrete forms reflect the light down into the sanctuary. While not a subterranean space, a similar effect is created from the material choice.

IN COMPARISON WITH THE SOUTHEAST LIBRARY

In section, a direct comparison can be made between Rapson’s Southeast Library and HGA’s mausoleum. Rapson punched holes in the waffle slab system to allow light into the center of the first floor, a move he echoed in the molded plastic lighting system in the basement meeting room while HGA’s skylights allow light into subterranean chambers.

47

THE FUTURE: A THESIS PROPOSAL CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES DESIGN

All graphics in this chapter are author’s own, unless otherwise noted.

48

49

CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES Ceiling System Engaging Life on the Street Legacy

The character-defining features of the Southeast Library are its unique ceiling system, its engagement with life on the street, and the remnants of its past.

As shown in Rapson’s sketches found in the Northwest Archiectural Archives, he spent a lot of time iterating the protrusions from the ceiling in both the basement room space and the main floor. The forms he chose were echoes of each other— one set rendered in concrete, the other in plastic.

As previsouly discussed, the Southeast Library, even as a credit union, was intended to be a public building. Rapson’s drawings clearly emphasize the transparency of the facade throughout the iterations of the original design. This transparency engages life on the street from the interior of the building.

Thanks to the changing nature of the building’s use, remnants of the building’s history still exist in the space. When he converted the State Capital Credit Union into a library, Rapson designed a information desk that remains in the space today. Additionally, several safes from the credit union days are still intact.

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Two of many sketches Rapson drew to test the form of the ceiling protrusions.

Minneapolis Plan Vault Collection: Significant Architects (N 115a), Northwest Architectural Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.

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ABOVE: Even as Rapson tested the building’s overall form, he maintained an emphasis on transparency.

Ibid.

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BELOW: In this presentation board image, Rapson used color to emphasize the relationship between those on the street and those inside the building.

Ibid.

ABOVE; One of Rapson’s sketches for the information desk. The shift to a library mostly consisted of new furniture, rather than architectural adaptation.

Ibid.

BELOW: The air lock for the old safe room still exists in what is currently used as storage for the library.

Own photo.

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EXTERIOR

The entrance as seen in April 2015, with Dinkytown visible in the background, as well as a mural depicting Bob Dylan.

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The proposed entrance-- note that the only addition are the short, grass-covered skylights that are accesible to the public and do not distrupt sightlines to Dinkytown.

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The rear facade as it is currently. The small parking lot is visible from this angle on 13th Avenue, as is the rear entrance, hidden behind a column.

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The proposed changes to the rear facade-- while the rear stairwell is replaced by an elevator, this is articulated subtly in the facade materials. The main library space as well as the lower level are accessible.

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FIRST FLOOR

Proposed changes • Reduce bookshelf height • Add accessible bathroom • Move children’s area • Add bank of computers • Insert elevator • Highlight historical features- safes, desk, etc.

• Add outdoor skylights 58

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Above: a 3D model of the First Floor interior as is.

Below: a plan of the First Floor interior as is.

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Above: a 3D model of proposed changes to the First Floor. Changes highlighted in black Below: a plan of the proposed changes to the First Floor interior. changes highlighted in blue.

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The changes to the First Floor are minor in nature. The main issue is the stack height, which can be alleviated easily by changing the bookshelves. Additionally, more contempoarary technology such as banks of computers should be added, and the other furniture brought up to date. The information desk should remain, however, as it is a historically significant part of Rapson’s design. The other remnants of the building’s past, namely the safes, can be incorporated into a children’s area as well as exhibition rooms. Those rooms can be used for programming related to Dinkytown’s history as well as special events related to education, such as Women’s History Month or Reading Month. A bathroom located by the rear entrance, that is too small to adapt to contemporary code, is removed completely and replaced with an elevator shaft.

To replace the bathroom, another will be constructed opposite the other exisiting one near the front of the building. These will allow the First Floor to become an accesible, open space that is less cramped and crowded and showcases the architectural details.

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LOWER LEVEL

Proposed Changes • Remove interior walls to open up central space • Remove locker rooms • Add Librarians’ space • Addition to hold stacks • Insert opening from meeting room to stack room • Replace stairs from parking lot with ramp 64

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Above: a 3D model of the Lower Level interior as is.

Below: a plan of the Lower Level interior as is.

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Above: a 3D model of proposed changes to the Lower Level. Changes highlighted in black Below: a plan of the proposed changes to the Lower Level interior. changes highlighted in blue.

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The changes to the Lower Level are more robust. Removing the wall that enclosed the central space opens up the floor, allowing for flexible programmatic space. The library could host workshops, or yoga lessons, or small acitivites. The old locker rooms are removed to create an entrance into the expanded volumes that contain stacks and reading areas. This space is lit from above by skylights that also serve as grassy seating areas on the First Floor Level. In addition to this U-shaped room, another room has been designed to hold more functionailty for the librarians- break room, holdprocessing etc. The meeting room with the molded plastic ceiling will also open up into the stacks room, as well as the kitchen. The kitchen , while already present, will need to be brought up to code and finished. This will allow for community meetings and activities as well as revenue-generating cafe space.

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69

WORKSHOP

The central space becomes the most flexible in the basement. Instead of a closed off room that squeezes the circulation into narrow hallways, this space is open and can be used for workshops and lessons.

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STACKS

The exterior volumes are filled with the browsing stacks, as well as more study tables. The skylights bring light into the space, makeing it a pleasant place to read, study, and browse the shelves.

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PROGRAMMATIC SEPERATION

Because of the placement of doors, the library can isolate its programming from the public areas- closing off the banks of computers on the main floor and the stacks of books in the basement. This allows for after hours programming like movies, lectures, and worksops This would let the Hennepin County Library to rent out the spaces and accrue some revenue.

First Floor plan with public areas highlighted

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Lower Level plan with public areas highlighted

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View from 4th street

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BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES BIBLIOGRAPHY Aabø, Svanhild, and Ragnar Audunson. “Use of library space and the library as place,” Library & Information Science Research 34, no. 2 (April 2012): 138-49.

Banham, Reyner. “The New Brutalism,” Architectural Record. December 1955. ed. Abrahamson, Michael. CLOG: Brutalism (2013).

-- Reidel, Jacob. “Ugly,” 126-27.

-- Ribstein, Susannah. “Flyover Brutalism,” : 116-17.

-- De Graaf, Reinier and Baird, Laura. “Public Works: Architecture by Civil Servants,”:122-123.

“Small Banks: A Credit to Their Communities,” Progressive Architecture. July 1964. (45)134-139. Page 134.

Gelfand, Lisa, and Chris Duncan. Sustainable Renovation. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012.

Greer, Nora. Architecture Transformed: New Life for Old Buildings. New York: Rockport Publishers, Inc, 1998.

Hauke, Petra, and Klaus Werner. “The second hand library building: Sustainable thinking through recycling old buildings into new libraries.” IFLA Journal 38, no. 1 (March 2012): 60-67.

Hennepin County Property Services, Hennepin County Library, and Paul Gates Architect. “Hennepin County Library—Southeast Facility Assessment.” Hennepin County Library, October 14 2013.

“Southeast Library” Hennepin County Library. http://www.hclib.org/about/locations/southeast.

Hess, Roise and Company. Architecture and Historic Preservation on the Minneapolis Riverfront. N.p.: Saint Anthony Falls Heritage Board, March 2007.

Hession, Jane King. Ralph Rapson : Sixty Years of Modern Design. Afton, MN: Afton Historical Society Press, 1999.

Huntzicker, Bill. “The future of the Southeast Minneapolis Library, parts 1-6.” TC Daily Planet, January 22, 2013.

Jacobs, Karrie. “Fruit Bowl Manifesto.” Dwell Media. http://www.dwell.com/info/about-dwell.

Jaffe, Eric. “5 Design Concepts for New York’s Branch Library of the Future.” City Lab (the Atlantic), December 5, 2014.

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Kelly, Steve. “Envisioning a Crossroads Library: A Report on Public Engagement and the Future of the Southeast Library.” Hennepin County Library, 21 January 2015.

Kimmelman, Michael. “A Chance to Salvage a Master’s Creation Paul Rudolph Building in Goshen, N.Y., Faces Threat.” New York Times, January 27, 2014.

Lamb, William. “Near St. Louis, A Midcentury-Modern Public Library Faces Demolition.” Dwell, April 17, 2014 http://www.dwell.com/post/article/near-st-louis-midcentury-modern-public-library-facesdemolition#1.

Lippincott, Joan. “Information Commons: Meeting Millennials’ Needs.” Journal of Library Administration; 52,no. 6/7 (August 2012): 538-48.

Mattern, Shannon. The New Downtown Library. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2007.

Benjamin Meunier & Olaf Eigenbrodt (2014) “More Than Bricks and Mortar: Building a Community of Users Through Library Design,” Journal of Library Administration, 54:3, 217-232.

Millerbernd, Anne. “Dinkytown could add bike lanes, parking.” Minnesota Daily, December 8, 2014.

Millett, Larry. AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: the Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul. N.p.: Minnesota Historical Society, 2007.

Millett, Larry. Once There Were Castles: Lost Mansions and Estates of the Twin Cities. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011.

Minneapolis Plan Vault Collection: Significant Architects (N 115a), Northwest Architectural Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.

National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Explore All Endangered Places.” http://www. preservationnation.org/issues/11-most-endangered/listings.html#.VUGGoyFVikp.

-- “Modernism and the Recent Past.” http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/savinga-place/modernism-recent-past/ National Parks Service. “Rehabilitation as a Treatment.” http://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/fourtreatments/treatment-rehabilitation.htm.

Prudon, Theodore. Preservation of Modern Architecture. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.

Prudon, Theodore, and Kyle Normandin, eds. Restoring Postwar Heritage. New York: DOCOMOMOUS, 2008.

Roper, Eric. “Development plans create a Dinkytown showdown.” Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 22, 2013.

Saylor Academy. “Brutalist Architecture.” http://www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ 79

Brutalist-architecture.pdf.

Shapiro, Kelli. “From Modernism to McDonald’s: Ideology, Controversy, and the Movement to Preserve the Recent Past.”Journal of Architectural Education 61, no. 2 (November 2007): 6-14.

Spitz, Bob. Dylan: A Biography. N.p.: W.W. Norton & Company, 1991.Page 76.

Stein, Jerry. “Libraries and innovation: 21st century themes.” Hennepin County Library.

US Department of the Interior National Park Service Cultural Resources. “Preservation Brief 17: Architectural Character; Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving their Character.”

Warner, Raynor. New Profits from Old Buildings. New York: INFORM, 1978.

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APPENDIX A Process Work All images own, unless otherwise noted.

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Commercial / Mixed Use

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Religious

University

Residential

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