In deciding on an architect for the new Minneapolis Central Library, we need to focus on building a library for the 21st century. * The library must be a building we can be proud of for fifty years. * The library must be a building that "fits" downtown Minneapolis. * The library must reflect the character of Minneapolis. * The library must be a functional, efficient library--now and fifty years from now. * The library must come in on or under budget.
We need an architecture team--and a lead architect who: * Understands Minneapolis--its culture, its climate, it's character. * Understands how libraries have worked in the past and how new technologies are changing them. * Values working on this project--an architect who is enthusiastic about this project. UNDERSTANDING MINNEAPOLIS All three teams appear to understand Minneapolis. * Cesar Pelli gave us a nice Wells Fargo Building the shines at night. It fits well with the skyline in the day and it has a real street-level lobby (as opposed to the US Bank building). * Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer's Orchestra Hall is one of the few building of that age that still looks good--not gaudy. The site planning is great with the plaza next to the mall. However, their WCCO building makes great use of stone and copper but doesn't even front on The Mall and has no retail space. * Meyer Scherer and Rockastle's Open Book Center is a great re-use and re-design of "a bunch of old buildings on Washington Avenue." Their careful design of the Bakken Library and Museum fits the residential neighborhood of Lake Calhoun. Their new U of M Art Facility looks like it will be a great addition to the West bank. The combination of the historic buildings and ruins with modern materials at the Washburn Crosby A mill museum will fit into the industrial/residential/art nature of the Mississippi River near downtown. Their addition to Hosmer library fits so well with the old library most people don't notice that the addition has HUGE windows compared to the old building. UNDERSTANDING LIBRARIES AND THEIR FUTURE Here I have some reservations about two of the firms. * Cesar Pelli by his own admission has done few libraries. He plans on learning from what others have done in the past. If libraries were a static type of building, or a very common building type with a lot of examples to examine this probably would not be a problem. However, there have been few new major city central libraries build in the last decade and only Seattle's library been designed since the explosion of information technology, the Internet, and the information economy. Will he give us the last great 1990's central library? * Malcolm Holzman has stated that libraries are changing. He has done many and knows how they work. He seems to understand that changes in technology will have a huge but unknown impact on libraries. My one concern is that the firm continues to use the Cleveland downtown library addition as an example of their work. I have been there. It doesn't work. The problems may be because of constraints by the owner but in any case, I wouldn't use it as an example of how to design a library for the 21st century. * As with Holzman, Jeffrey Scherer clearly understands that libraries are changing. Scherer clearly understands that while books are not going away, information technology can improve how libraries function. He understands the functions of a central library and how they relate to the functions of branch libraries. AN ARCHITECT WHO REALLY WANTS THIS PROJECT * This seems to be just another project for Cesar Pelli. He seemed to take very little time to prepare for his initial presentation. It seemed like a standard presentation with little about Minneapolis. It was like he was saying to Minneapolis--"You're not worth my time. Take me on my name only." Maybe that's because he knows the Midwestern lack of self confidence that says "if it's from the coast, it must be better than something from here." * Holzman clearly likes designing libraries but this one doesn't seem that special to him. * Scherer clearly WANTS this project. It's his home town. He is clearly excited about a new Minneapolis Central Library. He is exited about the whole two block project and the planetarium. He is excited about downtown. OTHER CONCERNS: It appears from the schedule that the committee will be able to interview the primary project architects for two firms (Holzman and Scherer) but will only interview the firm owner and not the project architect in the case of Cesar Pelli. MY OVERALL PREFERENCE: All the firms can help Minneapolis design an adequate, good, functional library. I do have serious concerns about the Cesar Pelli partnership, especially regarding library design and knowing who really is the project architect. I have less concerns with Holzman and his partnership. They seem to know libraries better and seem willing to get to know Minneapolis. But why hire someone that needs to get to know Minneapolis? Scherer clearly understands libraries and Minneapolis. His firm has given us some great buildings that will still be great in fifty years. It is a firm with a national reputation. Lets go with the excitement. >.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.> sheldon mains seward neighborhood minneapolis [EMAIL PROTECTED] Candidate for Minneapolis Library Board of Trustees DFL/Labor endorsed Change is overdue http://www.mainsforlibrary.org _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
