Going, Going, Gone! The Pauline and Wells Gustafson Residence; Bloomington, MN.
Thursday, August 4, 2022. 

Present day view, including Japanese garden. Photos Courtesy Troy Gustafson
View from street, shortly after construction in 1956.

The 2022 Going, Going, Gone! series of home tours continues with this remarkable 1956 Bloomington home, still owned by the original family, overlooking the bluffs of the Minnesota River.

Join Docomomo US/MN on Thursday, August 4
Live Virtual Tour: 4:30pm (CDT)
In-Person (self-guided) Tour: 5:30-7pm

About the Gustafson Residence:

Originally built for Pauline "Nel" and Wells Gustafson in 1956, this Bloomington home began as a modest suburban home for the couple who fully embraced Mid-Century Modernism.

As their family, artistic endeavors, and businesses expanded over the years, the Gustafsons reconfigured some of the interior spaces and expanded the home with two additions.

Following a fire in the late 1950s, the original attached garage was reconfigured into a large "two-car kitchen," according to Pier Gustafson, who grew up in the home. A new garage, attached via  three-season breezeway, was built adjacent to the original structure.

In the 1970s, a large vaulted studio designed by architect Michael McGuire was added on the Northeast end of the home.

As the trees and vegetation on the property matured, the Gustafsons created a Japanese garden that added seclusion from the street, and later carved "outdoor living rooms" into the wooded lot, including sculptures from their vast art collection. The result became the suburban sanctuary that exists today.
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About Docomomo US/MN Series of Going, Going, Gone! Tours:

Docomomo US/MN seeks to highlight Mid-Century Modern properties across Minnesota as they become available for sale, or may be threatened by demolition. The Going, Going, Gone! series of home tours are pop-up events that attempt to connect sensitive modernist properties with good stewards for the next generation  of preservation and adaptation. If you are the owner of a midcentury home , a real estate agent or neighbor of a notable property – please let us know if there is a site that should be included on a future tour, or added to the MN Modern Registry!