Building A Michael Graves Home In Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield Construction is in the process of building a forever home designed by Michael Graves, right here in Northfield. Michael Graves Architecture & Design is recognized as one of the leading design firms in the world. They offer architecture, planning, interior design, furniture, product design, graphic design, research and strategy consulting services.
Michael Graves (July 9, 1934 – March 12, 2015) was an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, as well as Memphis Group, Graves was known first for his contemporary building designs and some prominent public commissions that became iconic examples of Postmodern architecture.
You may recognize Graves’ work in Minnesota: Cedar Gables House, Children’s Theatre Company, and Minneapolis Institute of Arts Expansion.
“Michael made great design available to the masses. I’d seen it in a toaster, a pancake flipper, and a toilet brush. Now I see how his spirit lives on in the creation of our home.” – Bob Thacker (homeowner), in an interview with Michael Graves Architecture & Design.
You can read Bob and Karen’s full interview with Michael Graves Architecture & Design here.
We asked Bob Thacker why he and Karen chose to work with us. Here’s what he had to say:
“We have always been aware of NCC. Karen had worked with them before and had good experiences, and many of our friends have used NCC over the years. They’re certainly the go-to contractor in the area; they have an excellent reputation. And it didn’t hurt that the founder lives across the street from our new house, so we know we have a 24 hour inspector across the street. Their enthusiasm for this project has been very apparent from the beginning. They shared our passion and concern for making this a perfect prototype.”
“Working with NCC is a conversation and an ongoing dialogue. They’ve been really attentive to our needs. We keep throwing them curve balls (it’s [an environmentally friendly] house, so we are repurposing several architectural artifacts from other eras) and they handle it well. We are using items like a front door from a mansion in Minneapolis, tile in bathroom from a convent in Chicago, and windows from a house inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. There are lots of mini treasures that we are adding to the house, and NCC has been really understanding.”