Ralph Rapson, noted Twin Cities mid-century-modern architect who was head of the architecture department at the University of Minnesota 1954-1984, designed a branch of the State Capitol Credit Union in Dinkytown the same year he designed the original Guthrie Theater, in 1963. Located in Dinkytown at 1222 4th Street SE in Minneapolis, it was converted into Southeast Library only 4 years later and was recently renamed the Arvonne Fraser Library in honor of a longtime area resident who left an ongoing international legacy of advocating for women and families.
I have passed this library countless times paying it little heed other than admiring its striking design. I visited it for the first time on Saturday, January 25, 2020, when it re-opened after an $11.6 million restoration. It is stunning.
I love its interplay of light and geometric shapes. You can see it before you even enter in the waffle-like overhang and irregular glass and brick cubes. The lobby is like a box of light, and what may not be obvious until you recognize it is the glass between the top of the walls and the roof/ceiling, which makes it feel like the concrete roof is suspended. It creates a feeling of airy spaciousness throughout the building. Natural light even comes in from above in the skylights.
Geometric shapes both square and circular flow throughout the interior… in the structure, the lighting and even the seating. When they did the renovation they opened the floor to let light into the lower level and make it an inviting, usable space. Notice all the variations in light forms!
This building notable for its brutalist modern architecture feels warm and inviting. It is a public library, so it is easy to stop by for a visit! Learn more about it at StarTribune.com.
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
