It’s easy to forget how spoiled we are by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, with its 1,200 acres of manicured gardens, woods, and prairies, and 12.5 miles of walkable trails and paths. USA Today gave us all a collective nudge this spring by naming our arb the best botanical garden in the country.
We all know as Minneapolis architects that this city holds some true gems. If you are ever looking for something to do on the weekend, take a look at these must-see buildings from around the city!
This week our Architecture City Guide is headed to the city stars fall on. With a few notable exceptions, one can hardly be called a architect if s/he hasn’t designed something in Minneapolis. Since 2005 the architects that have fallen on this “City of Lakes” include Jean Nouvel, Herzog & de Mueron, César Pelli, Michael Graves, Steven Holl, and Frank Gehry. This is a surprising number for a city just north of 380,000 people.
The week’s best home and garden events in the Twin Cities, including Mother’s Day picks:
Keeping up with the sales and events around my architecture firm in Minnesota is important to me. As spring approaches, it is fun to see what resources are available to homeowners in the area. I hope everyone enjoys their Mother’s Day weekend!
We all have a natural tendency to want to revitalize our spaces as the weather gets warmer. Sunny spring days give us the boost of energy it takes to re-organize and re-imagine the spaces we live in every day. Here are a few tips for moving from winter cozy to spring fresh.
As the weather gets nicer, our motivation to redecorate increases. The spring creates a wonderful energy, and we want our homes to represent that same feeling.
Owning a home is one of your biggest investments. In order for it to pay dividends when you retire or move due to a job transfer, you need to keep everything up to date. This includes things like the plumbing, air conditioning, furnace, roof and windows. In addition to these traditional home repairs, improving the existing floor plan, adding upgrades and unique amenities can increase the value significantly and make your house stand out to buyers.
USA Today has published a poll created by their readers that ranks the 10 best Midwestern small towns, know any that made the list? Grand Marais made the top while Lanesboro came in third. As an established Minneapolis architect, I enjoy seeing what other parts of the state have to offer.
Once your home is designed and built, it’s time to move in and decorate. You want to show off elements of the architecture while also presenting your personal style. Creating a home you are proud of is essential. It not only gives you space to feel comfortable in, but it provides a wonderful space for entertaining so you and your friends can make lasting memories.
The Midwest is filled with innovative and adventurous architecture; the Midwest Home Magazine has celebrated 25 years of publication by highlighting 25 Iconic Minnesota Homes. While studying architecture you hear big names such as Frank Lloyd Wright, and you try to put yourself in his shoes. His iconic style is scattered across our area and seeing one of his structures helps you truly understand how important his ideas were.
When the architect of this remarkable remodel was hired to create a new home for his clients, a derelict building on the site caught his eye and turned out to be the focal point of a marvelous design project.
Minneapolis has a fair share of historic buildings that have been re-purposed beautifully and some that would benefit from some thoughtful design. This re-designed building I found is a great example of what architects can really do with original structures.
When I’m not busy being an architect in the Twin Cities, I’ve enjoyed peaceful weekend outings to Lake Minnetonka. It’s rich history and breathtaking landscape reminds us of just how lucky we are to have these gems here in the mid-west.