Minneapolis has grown in leaps and bounds since I left in 1990. And in the last few years, buildings designed by world-class architects have been springing up like mushrooms in the night. The Guthrie Theater has a new building designed by Jean Nouvel...
It’s a cobalt steel structure with a cantilevered lounge situated amongst the old grain towers along the Mississippi.
The architect’s intent was to tint the exterior the color of twilight—that magical hour when the audience gathers and actors begin their makeup. I had another association as well: the deep blue color of the building and its interiors reminds me of the color of the sky reflected in the many wooded lakes that exist throughout Minnesota.
The building’s arm is a lounge that sticks out four stories over the roadway and towards the river. It has small amber windows that very specifically frame small vistas along St. Anthony’s Falls. The experience is such that as walk along this corridor and out onto the outdoor deck, you are deliberately led to witness this architectural triumph and the great outdoors, but also is free to leisurely enjoy the experience. I have yet to witness a production at the Guthrie, but its new home brings a forward-thinking theater vividly into the 21st century.
I don’t have much to say color-wise about the following buildings, so let me switch hats and continue as a tour guide. Next stop on your itinerary would be the Walker Art Center. It houses one of the best contemporary art collections in the country, and has recently expanded its exhibition space with an extension by Herzog & de Meuron. This building too juts out over the sidewalk with its craggy profile. It’s rhythmic geometry updates the former minimalist cube without interfering with the art.
Cesar Pelli designed the Minneapolis Public Library. It has a large canopy entrance and the pattern in the glass windows mimic birch trees and rapid-running water.
Finally, my alma mater has a new art museum designed by Frank Gehry. The Weisman Art Museum is a teaching museum for the U of M and houses a 20th century art collection. Its tangle of steel ribbons reflects the colors of the sky, and are particularly dazzling at sunset. The color of architecture in this instance is not a fixed thing, but an ever-changing Kaleidoscope.
- Mark Chamberlain, interior and decorative painter
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Comments (10)
We used to refer to the Weisman as "Jiffy Pop of the Titans." It's been there a decade or so by now, and glare from the sides is a horrid driving hazard at sunset.
I visited Minneapolis for the first time this summer...the Nouvel building is really cool, though very monolithic. The entire Mill area along the river was fascinating.
I'm originally from Minneapolis as well and took a short tour of the new Guthrie while visiting last fall. Very impressive although there were IMHO some "functional" missteps such as the single narrow escalator moving the theater crowd from the street level to the theater level. While visually stunning moment to move up it into the open vistas of the Mississippi river it seems impractical when crowded.
It's fun to see some of your favorite places blogged about on AT!
I live just 2 blocks from the Walker Art Museum, and finally saw a play at the Guthrie last month. It's definitely modern and beautiful.
The great part is that the Guthrie is open to the public the vast majority of the day, so I took my visiting family to the cantilevered lounge and to the edge of it to take in the views of the river.
This was right after we had toured the Mill City Museum, which is next door to the Guthrie, and walked through the Mill City Farmers' Market on the way to the Guthrie.
Who knew flour could be so interesting? The Mill City Museum definitely does that, and has some really interesting architecture that combines modern steel and glass with the original brick of the turn of the 19th century that survived.
Minneapolis claims to have more theaters seats per capita than any other city in the country, outside of NYC. I'd believe it, the arts scene is great.
Yay! I'm so happy to see this post. Go Guthrie!
Yea for Minneapolis! You know, Minneapolis is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the US.... maybe Mpls could have an apartment therapy page... :)
Ohhhhhhhh, you forgot to mention my favorite color therapy appropriate Minneapolis building, the Target headquarters, with it's ever-changing light sculpture top layer. A decent photo and description of it is here:
http://www.martinpro.com/casestory/casestory.asp?id=588
And don't forget, Minneapolis is the home of Room and Board, and perhaps more importantly, the Room and Board Weekend Outlet.
The vast majority of my Room and Board furniture was purchased at 50%-70% off at the outlet. It takes time, there may not be instant gratifacation, but for a girl on a buget, it is FANTASTIC.
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/info_store_location.do?method=get&vm=.mn_outlet
That top photo of the Guthrie is vaguely reminiscent of the Death Star. (And I mean that in the best possible way.) I'll have to remember to go there if I'm ever in MN.
I too live just a few blocks from the Walker, having just moved to Mpls from NYC. The Frida Kahlo exhibit currently at the Walker is more great local color therapy.