Wells Fargo Center

The Wells Fargo Center is an Art-deco skyscraper designed by César Pelli & Associates, with César Pelli as lead architect, and built between 1986 and 1988 in Minneapolis, MN.

Wells Fargo Center is not the only name you might know this building by though. Between 1988 and 1998 it was also known as Norwest Center.

Its precise street address is 90 South Seventh Street, Minneapolis, MN. You can also find it on the map here.

The Wells Fargo Center has received multiple architecture awards for its architectural design since 1988. The following is a list of such prizes and awards:

• Award for Excellence in Large Scale Office Development in 1989
• BOMA Local Building of the Year in 1993
• BOMA Regional Office Building of the Year in 1994

The 57-story building features an interior pedestrian walkway that spans the entire block, with a 30-meter-high domed rotunda on one side and a formal lobby on the other.

César Pelli & Associates, with César Pelli as the lead architect, was the architecture firm in charge of the architectural design. But there was also one other architect involved, as far as we know. We are talking about Kendall Heaton Associates.

That being said, architecture is a complex discipline involving many professionals from different fields, without whom this building would have not been possible. We will surely be leaving out a lot of names here, but here is a list of the people we do know also played their part in making the Wells Fargo Center a reality:

• CBM Engineers in charge of Structural Engineering
• Schal Associates as the Main Contractor
• Vetter Stone Company in charge of Facade Consultancy
• Hines Interests Limited Partnership as the Main Developer
• Schal Associates, Bovis Lend Lease LMB in charge of MEP Engineering
• Siah Armajani as the collaborating Artist

The Wells Fargo Center can be categorized as an Art-deco building.

The Wells Fargo Center was completed in 1988, significantly after what could be considered the end of the Art-Deco movement. It was clearly inspired by the movement, but because it doesen't really fit into the movement's timeline it would be considered as a post-movement or neo-movement.

Especially during modern times, there are less imposed rules when it comes to design. Variety and experimentation are welcome, and architects are given the freedom to take inspiration from a wide range of sources.

Looking at the past for inspiration can be a great starting point for an architectural project, and something which César Pelli & Associates clearly took advantage of to design the Wells Fargo Center. Architects may choose to look to the past for multiple reasons. It could be that they want the building to merge with an older surounding, give it the feeling of having been there for longer than it actualy has, personal preference or it might even be a requieremnt from the client.

The Wells Fargo Center uses a frame structure made of steel and concrete columns and reinforced concrete slabs.

A frame structure uses a combination of beams and columns to sustain the building's weight. The walls in this case are non-load bearing, which allows for more flexibility when distributing the interior spaces.

The facade uses a non-load bearing curtain wall system. This means the curtain wall modules are anchored to the building's structural frame, typically by being attached to the edge of the floor slabs. The curtain wall system connects to the slabs using brackets, anchors, and mullions, which transfer the loads imposed by wind and temperature changes, to the building's primary structural elements.

This setup allows the curtain wall to accommodate differential movement between the facade and the structural frame, such as thermal expansion, floor deflection, or sway from wind forces. This system's integration with the slab edges also allows for continuous insulation and weatherproofing layers.

From an aesthetic point of view, the facade features a curtain wall made of beige-colored Mankato limestone, with white marble accents on the upper levels.

The structure is connected to its surroundings by skyways on both the east and west sides. At ground level the facade is clad in red Indiana granite.