Housing three prominent book and literary arts organizations (Minnesota Center for Book Arts, The Loft, and Milkweed Editions) under one roof, this center for reading, writing, and the book arts serves as a first-of-its-kind national model for engaging communities through the intersection of the three fields. A renovation of three conventional, historical buildings, the center responds fully to the client’s goals by embracing budget limitations, the buildings' existing conditions, and the missions of the three organizations. The design incorporates literal detailing and judicious editing in the lyrical composition and intervention of old and new.
AIA Minnesota Honor Award
Preservation Alliance of Minnesota Adaptive Reuse Achievement Award
Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission Award for Adaptive Reuse
City of Minneapolis Committee on the Urban Environment Award
Client
Open Book
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Project Type
Cultural Space | Educational Environment | Workplace
Size
55,311 SF
Role
Architect | Interior Designer
Status
Complete
“It is not uncommon for the arts to revitalize a neighborhood, but it is certainly unusual for old-fashioned literature and books to lead the way. . . . Every year since [Open Book] opened, growth has exceeded expectations.”
—Lisa Chamberlain | The New York Times
A collaboration between the architect and a book artist, the central staircase is designed to mimic a book turned inside out. The steel structure of the inner rail binds the stair with the spine exposed. Human-scaled pages fan out along the outer edge.
MSR Design was one of the Loft's Wordplay event sponsors in 2019 and showcased 3D-printed section models of the firm's work paired with poem fragments.
