22 Jul a photographic study of the work of architectural ornament designed by the firm of kees and colborn

i spent two days in minneapolis documenting building ornament designed by the architectural firm of of kees and colborn. the first building i shot was the minneapolis grain excahnge (1900-02). the cream-colored “sullivanesque” ornament is quite unique – unlike the majority of drab stock patterns supplied by chicago’s midland terra cotta company. if i recall correctly, the building’s ornament was executed by the northwestern terra cotta company, chicago, ills. 

another and equally impressive structure i shot was the deere-webber warehouse building (1912) with stunning sullivanesque terra cotta arch entrance. i will be posting images of the arch ornament when time permits. 

the minneapolis grain exchange building was constructed between 1900 and 1902 by minneapolis architectural firm of kees and colburn. the cream-colored terra cotta ornament was heavily influenced by louis sullivan’s commercial buildings of the late 19th and early 20th century.

the u-shaped building was one of the first in minneapolis constructed using the steel or skeleton frame. the ten-story terra cotta and granite building shares similar design characteristics to adler and sullivan’s wainwright building (1891) in st. louis. in 1909 the east annex addition was designed and built by long and lamoreaux, and another addition built to the north in 1928.