Imagining Minot: A Vision by the NDSU School of Design, Architecture and Art

NDSU SCHOOL OF DESIGN ARCHITECTURE AND ART

DISCOVER WHAT GREATER MAGIC CAN BE BROUGHT DOWNTOWN

THE CONVERSATION STARTS HERE

Despite the frigid temperautures, fourth year NDSU architecture students had a warm welcome as they arrived in Minot to meet with city leaders to begin their journey of envisioning a new downtown. Kevin Black, CEO of locally headquartered Creedence Energy and board chair for Minot Area Chamber EDC, facilitated the partnership of City of Minot with Kristi Hanson’s studio and planned the tour and meetings which would provide the students with the information necessary to outline downtown. For most of the students, this was their first time in the city. This provided a clean slate for the designers to examine what Minot was missing and what strengths could be built upon to enhance the urban experience. The group received additional information from city stakeholders who provided insight into their goals and dreams as integral members of the community.

NDSU students are welcomed to Minot by Kevin Black

Architecture students tour downtown on foot

Upon the completion of the student’s trip to Minot, they noted the hope and optimism that Minot citizens had for the future of their downtown.

“Not every architecture student gets a chance like this- to work on a project that directly impacts people. We can feel the passion that Minot has for their city and we are ready to equal that passion in our designs,” said student Sofia Naranjo Mata. With fresh eyes and creative minds, this project will visualize new facades on the main street, ideas that local businesses can implement, future uses for empty lots, green spaces and parks that can promote pedestrian traffic downtown. The journey to designing a downtown that share’s Minot’s rich history while serving future generations has begun.

Minot Hosts a Press Conference

“We’re going to knit what we heard from this community into a narrative – and ultimately, a creative process will come out of this to answer the question, ‘Who does Minot want to be?’”

-KRISTI HANSON

Led By Kristi Hanson

OUR VISION FOR MINOT

Matching the expansive spirit that brought Minot into existence, the people of this city have advocated and made great advances towards a vibrant and magical place for their citizens to call home. We, the fourth year architecture students in Kristi Hanson’s section recognize the passion that was shared with us and saw the great vision of what downtown Minot could become. In allegiance with the land grant mission of NDSU, our purpose is to serve communities across North Dakota and what the Minot community expressed to us has been the foundation of every decision we made within this project. Our mission was to integrate the spirit of Minot into the fabric of downtown through design by showcasing its rich history and creating spaces where people want to enjoy. By fortifying the identity of Minot for all who visit or live here, we expanded upon the community that people are proud to be a part of and a city that will serve its people for generations to come.

4TH YEAR ARCHITECTURE STUDIO: OUR TEAM

Kay Borgerding

Mark Giess

Rachel Schall

Dawson Broman

Mason Groth

John Meyer

Sydney Tveter

Jakob Craven

Angel Golijikaye

Abby Miner

Carson Wilkin

Cody Loud

Chase Becker

Ellyssa Derrig

Izzy Kucala

Sofia Naranjo Mata

PROJECT LOCATIONS

MAP KEY

EVENT CENTER

GREEN SPACE HOTELS COMMUNITY CENTER

MIXED-USE / RESIDENTIAL

26

KANTEN EVENT CENTER

24

MINOT COMMUNITY CENTER

Trinity Health Hospital has been a foundational part of downtown Minot for the past one hundred years. As its main location moves to the outskirts of town, find out how this building will be revamped to provide a new purpose for the citizens of Minot.

Inspired by strong Norwegian heritage, the Kanten Event Center provides opportunities for events to be hosted in the downtown area. Discover how an event space that can be enjoyed all year long will enrich the urban fabric of Minot.

MINOT RIVERFRONT

The Souris River’s shore will be home to new park systems that honor the strong history of the city of Minot. Continuing the newly added greenspace seen throughout downtown, come see how these designs will intrigue people to step outside and enjoy Minot culture.

WELCOME DOWNTOWN: BURDICK INTERSECTION

Angel Golijikaye

The vision for this building was to provide housing with a focus on nursing students. With an existing underground connection to the former hospital, this was the perfect site for student housing. The inspiration when creating the building and the facade centers around geometric shapes and patterns, which helped guide the design and vision for the entire site.

Project Location

Downtown Gateway at Burdick and Broadway

The goal was to design something different for downtown. When we visited the area, there were similarities, and repetitive forms in each building. The thought was to make the buildings similar but within the design, make it unique The geometric shape is the central theme of the building itself, and the facade and green space expresses it as well. We continued the geometric shapes into the courtyard, presenting something new for downtown Minot by the addition of green space.

Site Plan

Outdoor Patio

Plaza

Library Courtyard

A NEW SENSE OF PLACE: MINOT STUDENT AND COMMUNITY CENTER

Student Center From Burdick

Exterior From 5th Ave SW

Kay Borgerding, Ellyssa Derrig, Sofia Naranjo Mata

“We wanted this important building to continue to have its place downtown. With its current location, what better place to have a building that supports this many aspects for the community?”

- KAY BORGERDING

Trinity Health Hospital first opened its doors in Minot in 1924. The building has undergone many additions as the city has grown and needs have changed. As the transition to the newly constructed hospital begins, this building will complete a new transformation to remain vital to downtown.

The Minot Community center will have three distinct areas: the student center, a recreational area, and a food court.

As nursing continues to be a high demand field, educational spaces where these skills can be taught are becoming increasingly necessary. Because the building is already utilized in a medical setting, simulation labs and instructional areas are easily designed into the new student center. Additionally, lecture halls, classrooms, study areas, and administrative offices will be created to have all the required spaces for a fully functioning nursing facility. The student center was designed for Minot State nursing, but can also house any additional education that Trinity Health system or other schools and hospitals may need.

Project Location

Within the recreational area, there will be an indoor playground, daycare, arcade, and fitness center with an indoor walking track. These spaces were determined by what the community members said was missing from downtown.

The main transformation of this building will be the food court addition replacing a piece of the original hospital. With floor to ceiling glass walls, light will flood this vendor space for local restaurants, breweries and cafes to share their products with the Minot community.

Creating spaces for students, children and Minot residents in this building strengthens their connections with each other and attracts a greater number of visitors. As Trinity Health Hospital ends its chapter here, a new one is eager to begin.

Play Area

Simulation Lab

Seating Area

“The addition of a nursing program brings opportunity for growth and enrichment in the downtown environment.”

- ELLYSSA DERRIG

Game Room

Classroom

LIVING DOWNTOWN: THE SILO VIEWSCAPES

AsMinot’s reimagined urbanscape extends towards its northeast corner, The Silo Viewscapes provides a new place for people to live to enjoy the culture of downtown. The two warehouses that are located on East Central Avenue across from Ebeneezer’s are situated to provide walking access to the new parks, Minot Market, and the Train Car restaurant to the south of the site. Both buildings have lower level retail space with apartments in the middle, and a rooftop restaurant with an outdoor deck.

Southern Restaurant Patio

Project Location

Rachel Schall

Inspired by the movement of the river, the west warehouse has a curvy facade to create excitement on the streetfront. A playful use of tires was used to create fencing to shield the tire storage lot to the north. Mimicking the silos that will soon host large mural artwork, cylindrical shaped stairwells were added on to the building form. The rooftop restaurants have great views of downtown, the river, and all the newly designed projects in the vicinity.

“As this area of downtown is seeing a lot of upgrades and cool projects, I wanted to ensure that people would have the option to live nearby and enjoy the things Minot has to offer.”

Upper Level Restaurant

Entrance From E Central Ave

-RACHEL SCHALL

Project Location

LIFE ABOVE MAIN STREET

Abby Miner

Thisproject found a way to draw people to main street and keep them there. The newly redone alleyways provide opportunities for exploration and will draw people to explore them. Additionally, the artwork and rooftop patios are available on top of the singlestory buildings. While relaxing and soaking up Minot, you will see planter boxes and trellises - one way that Minot can add more green space to downtown! Housing was also lacking downtown, but with newly renovated apartments above the businesses on main street there are many opportunities to live downtown. They provide a central location to all of downtown with many shops, restaurants, and entertainment nearby!

Rooftop Patios on Main Street

“The areas above Main Street provide a great opportunity for apartments and community spaces both inside and out. The more people we can entice downtown, the richer its culture will become.”

-ABBY MINER

Community Space East Apartments

Community Space West Apartments

Rooftop Patio

Rooftop Garden

LOOKING UPWARDS: MINOT HEIGHTS

The Minot Heights apartment building is a new housing project providing an option for people looking to live in the downtown area. This project is built on the North parking ramp, located on the corner of 1st street and Central Avenue. The building is designed for over 50 affordable apartments and has amenities such as a gym, large outdoor patios, and a gathering space on the top floor overlooking the city. On the west side, the parking ramp has also been redesigned to allow vendors to establish businesses, such as a shopping area or small restaurants on the ground level.

Exterior View from W Central Ave

Community Space

Jakob Craven

Apartment Interior

NDSU SCHOOL OF DESIGN ARCHITECTURE AND ART

Q:

What is life like as a student at NDSU? What is your favorite part of Fargo?

"Being a student at NDSU involves facing challenges, but it also offers great rewards. The campus provides abundant opportunities for growth and selfimprovement. Also the strong connection between the Fargo community and NDSU provides students with many chances to engage in the community. Downtown Fargo is my favorite place in Fargo, there is always something happening and a plethora of restaurants and bars, making it an exciting place to be." -

Sydney Tveter

Q: Q: Q:

A: A: A: A:

Renaissance Hall houses NDSU's Architecture and Art students in downtown Fargo. How often are you in Renaissance Hall?

"I've recently began a double major between the Architecture and the Art Program here in Renaissance Hall. This has led me to spending most of my days and many nights here too, but luckily I'm working on projects I'm passionate about which turns this place into more of a second home than a workplace or school." - Cody Loud

What is your favorite spot to work on homework downtown?

"My favorite spot to go and study is definitely Babb’s Coffee House. It’s fun and lively atmosphere and great food makes getting homework done a breeze. Babb’s is definitely the place to go to study with friends!" - Izzy Kucala

What were you most excited for when learning about our project to reimagine downtown Minot?

"It's rare that students get to work on a project with such a real impact on a group of people. Being tasked with reimagining an entire downtown for a city is such a unique opportunity and we are thrilled to be doing it!"

-Kay Borgerding

Printing Boards for Presentation

Editing

Final Images

Collaborating in Studio

Main Lobby

Exterior Render from 2nd Ave SW

KANTEN EVENT CENTER

The Kanten Arts Center is a concept directly related to every individual within the town of Minot. From hosting local events, bringing in musical and theater artists, or just relaxing on a summer day, there’s truly something for everyone. Open to a variety of events, this design is primarily focused on the arts. Accessibility and green spaces were significant objectives, with the goal of providing everyone with the opportunity to enjoy the spaces provided. A key design element was to provide people with the ability to interact with the outdoors while occupying the performance center. The prominence of the site required that the design create an eye-catching gateway into the downtown community. The connection to the hotel made the two projects work together.

Auditorium

Project Location

Carson Wilkin, Mason Groth, Chase Becker

Rooftop Greenspace

Rooftop Auditorium

Black Box Bar

“While deciding on the design of the facade, we looked into the Oslo Opera House and how they shaped their windows and exterior ramps. This gave us a new perspective on how to utilize large windows with uniquely shaped exterior walls” - MASON GROTH

“My favorite part of the project was designing the auditorium. I enjoyed the challenge of creating a space that accommodates a large group of people and events.”CARSON

WILKIN

“I enjoyed designing the lighting of our building. With how light reacts to the surrounding environment along with the overall of design of the lighting fixtures, brings the entire project together” - CHASE BECKER

Project Location

STAY CONNECTED: THE VIBE

Izzy Kucala

TheVibe Hotel is an ideal location for travelers looking to experience the heart of Minot. Conveniently located downtown and shares a skyway with the Kanten Event Center. This feature is convenient for guests attending events at the Kanten Center, as they can move between the two venues easily. The Vibe Hotel is more than just a place to stay, with a fun and funky atmosphere, it is the perfect place to unwind after a long day of business or exploring what downtown Minot has to offer. This hotel was built on top of the existing north parking structure. This makes parking easy and convenient for guests to explore downtown.

Connection Between The Vibe and Kanten Event Center

The Vibe Hotel caters to all travelers visiting Minot, whether it's for business, theater, or vacation. The hotel's design and amenities have been tailored to meet the varying agendas of its guests. The hotel comprises two towers, one for families and vacationers with an arcade, childcare, and pool facilities, and another for business travelers with ample event and meeting spaces including a full sized ballroom. Guests can enjoy stunning views of downtown Minot from the rooftop restaurant, while the common space includes a fire pit and provides a relaxing spot to unwind after a long day. With its unique ambience and excellent amenities, the Vibe Hotel promises a memorable experience for anyone visiting.

Skyway Entrance

ARCHITECTURE

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

VISUAL ARTS

GRAPHIC DESIGN

NDSU

SCHOOL OF DESIGN ARCHITECTURE AND ART

DOWNTOWN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA

STAY DOWNTOWN:

FIRST CENTRAL HOTEL

John Meyer

FirstCentral Hotel is a mid-rise tower meant to give Minot’s residents pride for their city’s growth and success. It's design will bring more people and travelers to downtown and will add excitement for the people of Minot.

This project was designed for the wellbeing of the people of Minot and their downtown area. The downtown location has a limitless potential and a community which houses so much pride and love for their city. Because of this, it was felt that more people and visitors needed to experience what downtown Minot has to offer.

Project Location

Outdoor Space

Exterior Perspective from 1st St SE

“I designed First Central Hotel to draw visitors to the downtown area, promoting the growth of the city.”

- JOHN MEYER

Designing First Central Hotel was a way to bring in travelers to this exceptional city. Inspiration came from several hotels around the country, including 21c Museum Hotel in Chicago, Canopy by Hilton in Portland, and Ace Hotel in Portland. The brick facades are meant to promote a classic downtown feel while the steel clad walls and large curtain walls bring a modern touch to the first two floors. The first floor consists of two restaurants or bars and are meant to give downtown Minot more life, while 10 more floors are comprised of hotel rooms and suites for guests. A landscaped terrace on the third floor was also designed to bring people together and to give the community a rooftop gathering space.

Level

Level 3

A DAY AT THE MARKET

Sydney Tveter

Community is defined as “a feeling of fellowship with others” and one of the most significant ways people have connected with each other throughout history has been through food. Whether going out to family dinner, grabbing coffee with a friend, or chatting with a neighbor in a grocery store aisle, food provides great interactions with others. The Minot Market is a hub for people to gather, focusing on food, drinks, and supporting local businesses. Located next to Ebeneezer’s, this project will help bring more people to the outlying northeast corner of downtown, allowing the atmosphere of downtown to span even further.

A large grocery store within Minot Market brings a vital amenity for residents to the downtown area. During our visit to Minot, a business owner mentioned the need for a grocery store downtown. By creating a place to buy food, they wouldn’t ever have a reason to leave downtown.

“During our visit to Minot, a stakeholder mentioned that a grocery store was something that was needed downtown. They say if they had a place to buy food, they wouldn’t ever have a reason to leave downtown.”

- SYDNEY TVETER

Exterior Perspective from 3rd St SE

Patio Seating

Exterior Perspective from Train Depot Park

Cafe

Grocery East Entrance

Outdoor Patio 35

STEP OUTSIDE AND WALK ALONG THE RIVERFRONT

Thissection of the greenway is split into three distinct sections, the dog park, the riverwalk, and the train depot park. The dog park was chosen from the community desire to have this space downtown, and features a shaded pavilion that can be commonly found in plazas everywhere as part of the strategy to be more than just grass enclosed by a fence. The riverwalk was inspired by similar projects in Sioux Falls and Chicago, both cities having found ways to utilize their river spaces as accessible public destinations.

“I have been wanting to do a project by a river so the riverwalk design was the perfect opportunity.”

-MARK GEISS

“I learned how to honor while designing, it’s interesting how attention to detail conveys honor, and how rewarding it is to work towards a thoughtful solution.”

- DAWSON BROMAN

Project Location

Train Car Pavilion

Mark Geiss, Dawson Broman

The train depot park highlights a way adaptive re-use can be for more than buildings, inspired by similar venues like the DC Metro Bar. Adapting the strategy to fit with the culture of Minot, the train depot draws from the city’s rich history.

The dog park was designed to provide a needed facility closer to downtown, it features a pavilion that branches over all sections of the park, and patterned pavement to create an attractive destination. With both street and path access, it bridges connections in the surrounding greenway and larger downtown area. The riverwalk park site was chosen to connect with multiple features of downtown. The park itself is split into two halves by the floodwall, with one side engaging the river and the other interacting with the silo mural. A sculpture crowns the center of the park, inspired by the ribbing of a Norwegian longship that ties both halves together. The train depot was designed in the manner of a classic train station. It adapts passenger train cars into two restaurants.

Music Pit

M Logo Fountain

Riverwalk

Dog Park

The Riverfront Park located north of downtown Minot is designed to bring individuals from Main Street to a large green space, previously disconnected by the tracks. This connection is established by a pedestrian bridge integrated into a new floodwall. In the park, an ellipse organizes the flow of traffic, for events including vendors, concerts and firework displays. At the center of the ellipse, there is an Airforce memorial, commemorating the Minot Air Force Base. The memorial takes after the simple notion of lift. A ramp and the passage of water accentuate a levitating motion, while the slightly angled cut at the base of the two walls become a slanted horizon line, as witnessed in an aircraft.

Minot Air Force Base Memorial

Riverfront Park

Pedestrian Bridge

This park was inspired by dedication; embodying the notion of not appearance, but the honor associated with the ones who serve. Honor can be visually represented by order and detail. Axis of symmetry, strong shapes, and the synchronicity of time and state of mind, convey honor. The Riverfront Park was also inspired by the freedom of expression seen in the strongest communities, and in the Constitution. This is unveiled through the use of color, and the strong independent geometries that create dialogue.

Vendor / Warming House

Air Force Base Memorial

STREETS AND STOREFRONTS: ENHANCING MAIN STREET

Entire Team

TheCity of Minot offers an amazing program that allows the owners of buildings along main street to enhance the facades of their buildings. We saw this as an opportunity to give them ideas on how their facade could look if they took part in this program. The buildings on the east side of main street from Central Ave to 3rd Ave were our focus. Each student chose to enhance one or two of the existing buildings.

Updated Main Street

Project Location

Part of this program is to respect the history of downtown and the buildings that are there. The historic pictures of main street represented the magic that is part of the city. Awnings and balconies were two things that many of the historic buildings had, and we felt added interest and magic.

In addition to bringing back some of the historic features, we also tied in more modern elements adding magic to main street Minot.

Much of downtown, especially Main Street, has an absence of any green space or parks. Part of enhancing downtown was creating pedestrian friendly spaces around Minot.

Accessibility was also a main focus of improving downtown life. Work was put in to altering streets, parking, sidewalks and vegetation around Main Street.

Flood Memorial

Main Street Park

Main Street Park

NDSU SCHOOL OF DESIGN ARCHITECTURE AND ART

Q: Q: Q: Q:

A: A: A: A:

Being a 4th year student at NDSU can be difficult, but also is extremely rewarding. What has been your favorite part of the program so far?

"Being assigned studio projects, with an actual client, where the they want to generate ideas and possibilities of what could be. Having the opportunity to be creativie and present our ideas to the client gives us the experience of working within the profession. " -

Ellyssa Derrig

How has working on a project such as Imagining Minot changed your outlook on the potential of downtowns across the United States?

"Since I began the program at NDSU, I have become increasingly interested in urban environments. Downtowns are the heart of every city, they should be celebrated and I think everyone is starting to realize that more and more."

-Mark Geiss

How would you describe the uniqueness of this opportunity we have been given to work on a project of this scale and impact?

"It has been such a special opportunity! It is such a good feeling to be part of a project that people are excited for what we are designing. Having the possibility of them taking our projects and implementing them into their city is also something that I think every student would love to see." -

Abby Miner

What advice would you give someone wanting to persue architecture as a major?

"To keep an open mind. Architecture is broad and cross disciplinary. By taking time to explore, you can find ways to pursue all of your crazy interests!"

-Dawson Broman

Students Collaborating in Studio

Editing Final Images

Project Location

REDISCOVERING THE ALLEYWAYS

Connecting

1st and 2nd Avenue, this project adapted an underutilized alley just behind Main Street into a place where the Minot community can both gather and personalize with art over time. Painted Alley introduced alternative ways for customers to access both Cookies For You and Charlie’s. This space is also considered to be a privately owned public space, offering all passersbys a moment to sit, which encourages those in the downtown area to spend more time. This project made use of already existing space and enhanced it into a safer, livelier, and more profitable location.

North Alley Space Outdoor Patio

Cody Loud, Izzy Kucala

“Art is the language we all understand, all that’s left is having the space to learn how to speak it.”

- CODY LOUD

South Alley

Entrance

One of the most important factors of any downtown is how one travels. I found that downtown Minot was not very pedestrian friendly, especially in the heart of winter. I decided to redesign Main Street and a couple alleyways to better link areas to each other and bring people back to Main Street. I achieved this by removing street parking from one side of Main street, making room for a bike path and much needed vegetation. In addition, two areas on either side of Main Street were blocked off from vehicular traffic and turned into green spaces for people to gather and provide downtown Minot with a sense of community space, allowing them a place to rest away from the street traffic.

Painted Alley

Upper Level Lounge

Upper Level Bar

Another aspect of the redesign was to create colorful sidewalks and intersections that would showcase designs from local artists that represent important features of Minot such as its Air Force Base, previous floods, and Norwegian heritage.

I redesigned the popular Magic Alley with some fresh lighting in the form of fun balloons, created lifted decks with flower beds for the residents of the apartments to use, and filled a previously empty utilities space with a modern train themed bar and grille that will encourage people to engage with the alley.

Magic Alley

The Tracks Bar

Burdick Intersection

The Tracks Bar

Silo Viewscapes Restaurant

EXPLORE AROUND THE CLOCK: MINOT NIGHT LIFE

Kanten Events Center

Painted Alley

SCHOOL OF DESIGN ARCHITECTURE AND ART

THank you

REIMAGINE MINOT

Special Thank You To:

Jay Krabbenhoft

Paula Schneider

Robert Ross

Mayor Tom Ross

Kevin Black

Brekka Kramer

Jamie Hauge

John Van Dyke

Mark Lyman

Tim Olson

NOTES:

NDSU

SCHOOL OF DESIGN ARCHITECTURE AND ART