ARCHITECTS  - Cesar Pelli & Associates, design architects, with Architectural Alliance, architects of record

PROJECT GOALS - As an associate at Cesar Pelli and Associates (now Pelli Clarke Pelli), Karin worked on the design of the Minneapolis Central Library located on a full city block in the gateway of downtown Minneapolis, MN. The library was to provide a larger and more flexible space for the MPL’s vast collections. Pedestrian access was necessary from two main streets and from a future Skyway connection. The current planetarium needed to be designed in the library for a future phase. Underground parking and a loading dock needed to be located conveniently.

RESULTS – The five-story Kasota stone and glass building features an atrium that connects Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Avenue. This public throughway with cafe/bookstore, book drop-off and entry to the library, is a lively interior street in a city with an extensive indoor street system. Glass panes fritted in patterns of Minnesota trees mediate sunlight on the various facades. An extensive public art program allowed artists to design pieces embedded or displayed within the various spaces. This collaboration with Architectural Alliance (Architect of Record) and Coen + Partners (Landscape) received numerous awards.

Photography by Nattapol P. Nuwat

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COMMERCIAL:

Zinc Restaurant | Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament | Kitchen Zinc | FuZion Medical Aesthetic Boutique | Chestnut Building | Minneapolis Public Library | 731 Lexington Avenue

RESIDENTIAL:
Christ Episcopal Church Rectory | Guest House, Madison, CT | Residence, Guilford, CT