Pioneering Minneapolis architect Rapson dead at 93
|
|
Ralph Rapson famous architects in Minneapolis, a pioneer in the modernist style of architecture and creator of the original proposal Guthrie Theater, death. Rapson, 93, suffered a heart attack Saturday night at his home, his son Toby confirmed in an interview Monday. Rapson was the founder of Minneapolis-based Ralph Rapson and Associates Inc. In addition to the Guthrie, he also noted the embassies of the United States to Stockholm and Copenhagen, St. Paul’s Park, St. Thomas Aquinas of the Catholic church, St. Paul’s Prince of Peace Lutheran L’église-deaf and the Riverside Plaza residence in Minneapolis. Born in Alma, Me, 1914, Rapson has played an active role in the development of education in different locations throughout the world. Rapson’s son described his father as “Forrest Gump” of architecture, explains that his father was born in the birth of a mistake that led to the loss of his right arm. But his disability did not prevent Rapson, the secret arts of a young age, that the continuation of a love for drawing. Rapson began his studies in architecture in 1930 at the University of Michigan, which at the time, as a pioneer in its offers courses in the modernist ideas. Then, he went to study at the Cranbrook Academy of Art and began his career in the practice of architecture before World War II. After the war, Rapson son said: “It was really fascinated by the post-war, the ideas of the new structure, the use of new materials and new techniques, new buildings, change of mindset and ideas, like space, were his passions. ” Rapson was also a designer of furniture and accessories for the furniture Knoll in 1940, then developed its own line of furniture in the 1950’s. In addition, he was a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been head of the new experimental the Bauhaus school in Chicago and proceeded to the University of Minnesota School of Architecture 1954-1984. His company has recently launched a number of pre-modern houses, called Green Belt Rapson, 1941 on the basis of an understanding of its origin. Rapson worked until his death. “He was joking, it is always possible, aboard his project,” said Toby Rapson, adding that his father was in the office Friday, writing and design. |