Mid-Century Fall Home Tour – A Gaggle of Graffunders! Saturday September 21, 2024
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Docomomo US/MN is excited to present the 2024 Mid-Century Fall Home Tour! The spotlight this year is on MN Architect Carl Graffunder, whose 130+ projects across the state exemplify the essence of 20th Century Modernism – open floor plans, site-specific design and indoor-outdoor connections.
Graffunder projects spanning 1952-1968 are open for this tour, offering a comparative look at the evolution of the architect's style during the height of mid-century design in Minnesota. Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024 Tour: 11am-3pm Reception: 3pm-4:30pm Tickets available via Eventbrite: Students: $15 Docomomo US/MN Members: $30 General Admission: $55 About Carl Graffunder:Carl O. Graffunder (1919 – 2013) was a highly-regarded Minnesota architect, designing numerous homes and buildings in the state and helping educate generations of architects at the University of Minnesota from 1948-86. Some of Graffunder's over 130 houses were featured in both local and national publications, starting with his own unique 5-level house overlooking Theodore Wirth Park (since demolished). His houses were known for simple forms, open plans, and lots of light—as he used extensive use of glass and outdoor living spaces to blur the line between indoor and outdoor spaces. His design philosophy embraced the honesty of materials, using exposed wood beams and concrete, affordability, and energy efficiency. He also designed churches, libraries, civic and commercial buildings.
Graffunder's ancestors repaired castles in Germany; his parents emigrated to the United States where his father did carpentry and upholstery. Carl was born in Rock Island, IL, and grew up in Hibbing before gaining his B.Arch from the University of Minnesota. After serving as a naval architect repairing ships in World War II, he earned his M.Arch from Harvard, learning under Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer. The U of M recruited him to teach as soon as he graduated. He later retired to his A-Frame on Lake Minnetonka, dying at age 94. Download the 2024 Mid-Century Fall Home Tour Guide (PDF) |
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Tour Houses can be viewed in any order and you can start your tour day at any house.
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Fall Home Tour Locations:
ALL LOCATIONS OPEN 11AM-3PM.
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Yogel House, 1952 1 Acorn Dr, Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077 Nestled on nearly 5 wooded acres in the charming suburb of Sunfish Lake, The Yogel House has been lovingly maintained by just four owners since its construction in 1952. This Graffunder home features a primary residence with 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, family room, a three-season porch, and 3 (ish) bathrooms. The third owners added a two-car garage and converted the original tuck-under garage and adjacent mudroom into a self-contained mother-in-law apartment, which includes a bedroom/living area, storage room, bathroom, and kitchen. The exterior of the home is wood siding and stone, with stone elements extending inside to the stacked fireplaces in the living and family rooms and the indoor grill in the kitchen. The distinctive metal hood above the grill was crafted by the original owners, who operated a metal fabrication shop. Most windows in the primary home are original, predominantly Anderson sliders. The current owners have focused on preserving original materials while updating less desirable features. |
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Leighton House, 1955 1722 Oliver Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55405 Rectilinear house; brick on first floor, wooden siding above; row of windows on second floor with balcony in front suspended from metal hangers. It was designed for practical use by the Leightons and their four children. Living area was on the second floor, giving a view of Kenwood Park. The living room floor was quarry tile, which needed only waxing. Exterior siding and interior trim were cypress wood. Both Leightons enjoyed cooking, and designed the kitchen accordingly. Featured on the 12th Annual Radcliffe Scholarship Benefit House Tour in May 1960. A real estate agent, Arthur Leighton died in 1968, age 51, in Menton, France "of natural causes." Early-aughts owner got very into Carl Graffunder, created a blog about him. |
Photo Courtesy Drew Anthony Smith
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Dale Tile House, 1955 340 E Diamond Lake Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55419 The house was designed by Carl Graffunder in 1955 for his sister Irma and brother-in-law, William Dale, who owned the Dale Tile Co. Graffunder incorporated mosaic tile designs in every room — from a bold block pattern covering the entryway staircase wall to a playful multicolored fireplace surround. Dale even published a marketing brochure, “Carefree Living With Tile,” in 1956 with photos of his home’s interiors to laud the qualities and usage of Romany Spartan ceramic tile beyond the bathroom. The home has been lovingly preserved with all of the original tile, built-ins, a cantilevered tiled living room fireplace, lower-level colorful tiled fireplace and tile shuffleboard, pecky cypress ceilings and light fixtures. Graffunder consulted roof repairs during 2000-2001 renovation. Stucco and concrete block house, shaped like a bow tie with one side flaring out; banded windows. See the 1956 "Carefree Living With Tile" Brochure |
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Taeko Tanaka-Perry Residence, 1966 4310 Tyrol Crest, Minneapolis, MN 55416 Partly inspired by a Japanese country home, the commissioning client was a noted potter; as such the house has its own studio and kiln. The house suffered damage during the May 22, 2011 tornado that went on to seriously damage North Minneapolis (it first touched down near 394/100 and clipped Golden Valley); in late October that same year it suffered fire damage, in the same vicinity as the kiln. First offered for sale in 2019. Original owner Taeko Tanaka (d.2019, age 90) was a gifted potter in the Japanese Mingei tradition. Born on Hokkaido, she entered the University of Tokyo in 1952 – a product of the liberalization that permitted women to start going to the institution during the post-WW2 American occupation. Tanaka arrived in the United States as a Fulbright scholar studying dramatic literature in graduate school at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and later at Duke. She married Sin Tanaka in 1954 and returned to Japan where she began collecting pottery and wood block prints. The family returned to the United States in 1960 and she settled in Minneapolis, learning pottery for herself from the Minnetonka Center for the Arts in 1969, and studied with established potters in the St. Croix Valley's famed pottery community. Her pottery career lasted into her 80s, and was exhibited in the United States and Japan. She married Dallis Perry in 1982. |
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Hafner House, 1968 4815 Irving Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419 Post and beam construction on a large 1/3 acre private lot, just one block from Lake Harriet + Minnehaha Creek. This home has had contemporary updates but retains its open + airy treehouse feel. A former exterior porch has been incorporated into interior space allowing for a large kitchen on the main floor and entertainment room on the walk-out lower level. The original tuck-under garage was also incorporated into the interior, and an external garage, designed to complement the home, was added in 2015. The current owners have been lovingly maintaining this home since 2017. |
RECEPTION LOCATION 3PM-4:30PM.
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Normandale Lutheran Church, 1958 6100 Normandale Rd, Edina, MN 55436 Join Docomomo US/MN members and friends following the tour for a reception, including light eats and refreshments! Normandale Lutheran Church was designed by Carl Graffunder and completed in 1958. The Opus Group completed a renovation and expansion of the community spaces in 2017. During the reception, the original sanctuary will be available for self-guided tours. |
Reception Drawing for FREE Annual PosterDocomomo US/MN is excited to announce our first ever merch collab with John Doessel of House Logos! John is a Midwest artist out of Chicago who shares our passion for Mid-Century design and architecture. You have likely seen his work all over Instagram. If not, you’re in for a real treat. John has perfected the art of reimagining architecture as minimal artwork. He has created thousands of House Logos for homes all over the world. We’ve partnered with John to bring to life 5 iconic Minnesota Mid-Century gems. The Northwestern National Life Insurance building, the Shepherd House, the Elam House, an original Soft Serve Stand, and of course, the Lindholm Service Station. Totes, hats, stickers, magnets, and a limited edition signed poster are all coming your way. The merch will launch at the 2024 Mid-Century Fall Home Tour and only be available in person. Entry to the reception enters you in a drawing to win the annual poster! Don't miss this chance! This is a limited-edition collab. When it’s gone, it’s gone. Don’t miss out. |
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