Go North, Young Man

North Minneapolis has been one of those areas I've been warned to avoid since moving here. It is dangerous, you will get robbed, stay away. So you can imagine my anxiety when my professor for my service learning class announced our study area was West Broadway and Penn, right in the heart of North Minneapolis. I will admit, the first time we visited our community partner, Juxtaposition Arts, I was a bit uneasy. But throughout the semester, the more I visited those neighborhoods, the more I learned about them. They are no different than the rest of the city. The only major difference is a lack of investment by the city. While Minneapolis was pumping money into Uptown, Lake Calhoun, and West River Parkway, the communities in North Minneapolis were largely overlooked. This all changed when the tornado struck in May 201. Suddenly the metro's spotlight was shone on North Minneapolis and groups got what was their first look at that part of the city.

This assistance has come to the aid of groups that have been already investing and assisting citizens and businesses in the area. Juxtaposition Arts is an arts education location that not only hold classes for youth, but also paints murals, etc throughout the West Broadway corridor. The other group, the one with which I partnered for my project, is the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition (WBC). This group is aimed at assisting businesses in the area through various grant programs and the like. It was through them that I developed my project.

WBC has a facade improvement grant in partnership with the City of Minneapolis that allows businesses to reconstruct and upgrade their facade. This not only increases their business, it improves the aesthetic of the entire corridor. WBC had identified a business owner who was debating applying for a grant and whose facade could use an upgrade. I am going to contact the owner and the worker for WBC that I partnered with for permission to use the name and photos of the business. It is next door to WBC's offices.

Okay, this is getting long winded. Here's the quick breakdown of what I did. I did studies of the other Facade Improvement projects that the owner mentioned he liked. I also walked around other neighborhoods in Minneapolis for inspiration. Some ideas he brought included the reintroduction of glass tot he facade, but not too much due to security. Also, he wanted some form of art incorporated into the facade, maybe highlighting the history of printing technologies. Other than that, I was off to the races.

Model of the existing facade in SketchUp

For the first design concept, I really ran with the idea of the glass. I took the panel above the first level and turned it into stainless steel where I placed a sign made of gears from a printing press supporting letterpress blocks. I then opened up the first level with glass. Above the panel, I placed dramatic lighting, stainless steel tiles, and revamped windows.

Model of Design 1 in SketchUp

For the second design concept, I was a bit more reserved with the glass, surrounding it with bulky frames painted a light tan or cream color to brighten up the north-facing facade. I placed a black metal awning where the panel was and placed a cut-out metal sign. Finally, with improved lighting and colorful tile above, the second design concept was finished.

Model of Design 2 in SketchUp

The interview in which I presented the designs began in the most depressing way possible. He looked at the first design and said, "I don't like anything." I assumed he had looked at both designs, and my heat sunk. All that work and he hated all of it. Trying to regain what little confidence I had left, I was scrambling compile a list of what he wanted, the WBC worker pointed out there was a second design. He pulled that one out and, much to my relief, was exactly what he wanted. The more conservative use of glass and the awning were right what he wanted. He liked the sign from the first design, but that was it. He also suggested some sort of bars for the windows that were artistically done so that they didn't look like security bars. Also, the left door in the alcove he wanted to pull out to be flush with the rest of the facade. These are some unfortunate realities of designing in North Minneapolis, but didn't need to be negatives. After combining the features he liked, I presented my final design of my class and WBC. I dropped them off at the business because our schedules never matched up. I do know he has begun the bid process and hopefully, one day I will be able to drive down West Broadway and see some elements of my design on his facade!

I almost feel like a real architect!

Model of the final design in SketchUp

Procrastination Station

2 posts last month, that's a new record! Now that it's May and winter still has it's grip on the country, that means only one thing: procrastination season. That's why I'm writing this post now. I should be working on one of my projects, but I find that telling all 2 of you about my projects to be a much better use of my time. Hell I'm even procrastinating writing this post. It's taken me at least 15 minutes to get this far. The only thing architorture students are better at the BS'ing is procrastinating. Nothing inspires quite like a deadline in 12 hours. While I have a ways to go before reaching that level of creativity, I am at the point where all wee I have been crafting very unique meals to avoid working on my projects. Tuesday was fish tacos, made with those frozen fish sticks from my childhood that I hated then but I love now. Ooo... Facebook...

...

...Okay I'm back. They were wrapped with mixed greens, Colby jack cheese, and Thousand Island dressing. Delish. Wednesday was cheeseburger wraps. For the reason I was out of hamburger buns and only had one burger left, I grilled it up then cut it into slices. Then, I wrapped it with the same mixed greens, Colby jack, and BBQ sauce. Again, very tasty. Tonight, I reached way back into my childhood. I ended up with a mix of mac & cheese, sliced hot dogs, and corn, all in a bowl of deliciousness that warmed my tummy and made me wish I was still 6 years old. At least then I wouldn't feel guilty doing nothing. Hold on, twitter calls...

...

I forgot to mention that I made cookie bars last night! I was going to make cookies and I had all the dough mixed, but then I realized I was too lazy to actually make 4 dozen cookies and wait for them to bake. So I just plopped the dough in a cookie pan and let it all bake. Now, all I have to do is cut a bar out as I want one. I feel so Minnesotan. Now I need some hot dish and jello salad. Oh dear, that would be quite the Lutheran Church lady pot luck! Okay, enough about that. (I have mastered the accent by the way, just ask me to do it. I will)

The weight of the world, or at least a third of it, was lifted off of me on Tuesday. At precisely 11:00am, our Architecture and Ecology term project review began. My partner (my roommate) and I were first, thus were the first ones in the class to be DONE WITH OUR TERM PROJECT!!!!! The project was to pick a building and to analyze the sustainability of the building. What makes it green? How does it incorporate sustainability? Basically, how does it satisfy everything we have learned about this semester. We chose the Hiawatha Maintenance Facility in Minneapolis because not only is it local, but it is a really cool project. How many public work maintenance facilities do you know of that are LEED platinum certified? How many maintenance facilities do you know of? Probably none, unless you live next door to one. Anyway, I'll describe this in another post later. Maybe after finals week, hopefully before Denmark. OMG I leave in 45 days for Denmark I'm so excited I had orientation today and it just got me so excited to go abroad and see why the Danes are the happiest people in the world and they have amazing design and its not America which I have been in my whole life.....
Calm it down...

Another project I am currently procrastinating is my workshop: Space, Light, Material, and Mies. The premise of the workshop is simple. We were given a 3ds Max model of the Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe (look it up, do it). Using the renderer Vray, we are creating images of the house. We are studying light, how the environment affects the space, and changing materials. Basically, we are creating our own versions of the house. Once the tech side was cleared up (I'm still not entirely sure how to use the programs) it has become quite an interesting workshop.

My final project is perhaps my most engaging. I'm in a service learning Street Life Seminar. The premise of a service learning class is that we work with a community organization to provide a service to the city in which we live. This semester we have been working with Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA) in North Minneapolis. Our focus has been the West Broadway corridor to Penn Ave. We have been doing various activities and projects throughout the semester. For the final project we were given free reign. Propose any project in North Minneapolis that addresses the needs of one of the three community organizations with which we are partnering (West Broadway Business and Area Coalition [WBC] and the Penn Avenue Small Area Plan along with JXTA). I chose to work with the WBC and their facade improvement program. Through this program, they provide business owners along the corridor matching funds to improve their facades. Members of WBC identified a business owner who has been considering applying for a grant and I have been working with him to create a design for his building of which he would be proud. The final review is Monday, which is why I should be working on that, but instead I am writing to all you fine people. I will describe this in more detail later as well. This project has by far been the most exciting, as it is giving me the chance to go out into the community and to actually work with a real client. There is also a real chance that once we decide on a final design, it will be handed off to a real architect and the renovations can begin. But the ultimate goal is for him to decide to apply for the grant. Regardless of the final design that is implemented, if he applies for the grant, this project will have been a success.

Wow, that's a lot of text. And that's an hour of procrastinating. I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you, all 6 of you, for helping me put off the inevitable. But more importantly, you now know the inner workings of an architorture student's mind while procrastinating. Now to start those projects... tomorrow...