Is this Paris or St. Paul? Last month, The M (Minnesota Museum of American Art) unveiled an elegant new wing in the Pioneer Endicott building in downtown St. Paul, tripling its gallery space. The inaugural exhibition features pieces by such standout Minnesota makers as Wing Young Huie, Warren MacKenzie, and George Morrison. But the most notable masterpiece might be the stained-glass firmament that spans the galleries. Some background: The Pioneer Endicott was originally two buildings. The L-shaped Endicott, designed by Cass Gilbert (the architect behind the Minnesota State Capitol and the Woolworth Building in New York City), wrapped around the 16-story Pioneer. Opened in 1890, the Endicott featured a Parisian-style shopping arcade topped with a vaulted stained-glass ceiling. Comprised of more than 420 panels, it was by all accounts a gorgeous sight. Until a drop ceiling was installed. The glass was rediscovered in the 1980s, however, and I got a sneak peek at it during a hard-hat tour in 2018, when the M opened a lobby, gallery, and support spaces designed by Minneapolis design firm VJAA Inc. Those spaces, aka Phase One, were raw and industrial. Stripping away a century of patina, plaster, and pigeon droppings, the design team trained a spotlight on the building’s ancient structure, revealing rusting steel, crumbling brick, and cracked tiles. In contrast, the M’s new galleries feel simple yet sophisticated, classy and contemporary but not quite modern. Cleaned, restored, and rebuilt, the opalescent panels of stained glass have been reinstalled and lit from behind, giving the spaces an even, European-feeling glow. VJAA’s design highlights some of Cass Gilbert’s original flourishes and adds a few new touches. But mostly, the design does what good museum design does: illuminates. Check it out this winter. You’ll find a link to my original article about MMAA, written for Architecture Minnesota, a publication of AIA Minnesota, in the comments. #architecture #museums #writing
Thanks Joel--and for your original great article!
Very nice, Cass would be proud. BTW - the Woolworth is my favorite NYC building!
Love this; historic finds are cool. Your post reminds me of this NYT story earlier this year. Have you seen or read this this?
It’s a fabulous art museum in St Paul!
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