Located a half-block from the Midtown Greenway, the new Highpoint facility will be a wonderful addition to the diverse and energetic neighborhood. The new space will occupy the interstitial area between object and void; it will be both a clearly dynamic environment and vessel for art. The Lake Street façade will be a moment of repose in the texture of the streetscape, with large windows revealing the gallery and art within. The rear of the building, which faces the Greenway and a number of residential properties, will provide a landscaped parking area with private building access for Co-op members and students. Adjacent to the rear entrance, a private courtyard designed by the 2007 McKnight Distinguished Artist, Kinji Akagawa, will be a tranquil and contemplative environment for a visiting artist to repose. Inside the studio, large skylights will provide abundant natural light, and large glazed, garage doors between spaces will allow for flexibility and interaction; the professional studio, Co-op Studio and classroom may open to each other to create a learning and collaborative printmaking atmosphere.

About James Dayton

Jim Dayton is the founding principal of James Dayton Design in Minneapolis. His firm has designed over fifty projects and buildings in its 11 year history to date, and continues to produce critically acclaimed work of increasing complexity and scale.

James Dayton Design received a 2005 AIA Minnesota Honor Award for the Minnetonka Center for the Arts, a project that highlights the firm’s rigorous approach to design. His most recent project is the MacPhail Center for Music located in the Minneapolis Mill District. Dayton was also recognized for his outstanding work with a Minnesota AIA Young Architect’s Award in 2005 and a National AIA Young Architect’s Award in 2006.