Herbert B. Polachek

University of Minnesota - B.Arch '56

What was the most important thing/skill/concept you learned at the School of Architecture?

Learning how to think for myself, taking charge in team situations when leadership is needed, and working as a team member in joint situations.

Who made the most lasting impression (most influenced you) and why?

Robert Poliss was patient, understanding, and inspirational when needed. Walter Virett had a spirit of panache and vitality. Fred Koepper's vast knowledge of architecture history inspired me to travel and see the world. As a result I have visited 67 countries on 6 continents observing life, history, and architecture, as well as taking thousands of photographs. Rob Ceray inspired me to improve and work harder at design.

What is your favorite memory from your studio days?

Working long days and nights to meet project deadlines, advice and criticism by fellow classmates in the absence of instructors, and several visiting lecturers such as Siefred Gideon, Oscar Storonov, Bucky Fuller, and others. A Grade 5 design sketch problem in '66 to design a reviewing stand for the city of Brooklyn, New York, after winning the 1955 World Series against the Yankees. We were a group of 12 students that came up with a platform suspended by colorful helium-filled balloons on twelve 24x30" illustration boards connected with a large 4' high, 18' wide mural. We all got A's.

Please identify one (or more) memorable design project that you worked on while a student at the School of Architecture.

During Grade 2, a union resort on Pelican Lake with a group of 4 students working together for a month. We had great cooperation and spirit, and there was travel involved to the site and research. Also, thesis project in 1955-1956 while recently married and I worked in a cramped apartment, as well as school. A real project I worked on was a funeral home in Winona for my friends parents funeral home.

What major forces (such as individual architects, design philosophies, rendering styles, research methods, etc.) do you remember influencing you significantly as a student?

I was in awe with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Walter Groupius, Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Eames, and Alexander Girard. Hugh Ferris for his black charcoal rendered and Lou Angelivis for his tempera color renderings. I was impressed by firms that contributed to school with literature, magazines, and samples. Our library was a valuable resource for background history and inspiration. 

Cite an example (be specific) that illustrates how you used the education you received at the School of Architecture to positively impact (or better) your community, city, nation or the world.

Over the years I have served on the planning commission and board of zoning appeals in Golden Valley, served on an advisory committee for a northeastern Wisconsin Methodist Church, been a member of AIA and president of NE Wisconsin District AIA, lectured students at AIA meetings in said meetings and various technical schools, and was a member of the board of trustees for Caloreftes in Green Bay and Golden Valley. I also lectured students at the University of Minnesota department of Interior Design from 1974 to 1985.

Bruce Toman

University of Minnesota - B.Arch '76

What was the most important thing/skill/concept you learned at the School of Architecture?

The importance of quality design, the abstract beauty of the plan, teamwork, quality, interdisciplinary teamwork, and Friday night at "The Mixers."

Who made the most lasting impression (most influenced you) and why?

My classmates, Ralph Rapson's inspirational leadership, and an excellent broad cross-section of fine Minneapolis architects on the faculty such as David Bennet, Thomas Hodne, Joe Blair, John Rauma, Milo Thompson, Leonard Parker, and Carl Graffunder. Also, committed professors John Myers, George Winterowd, Walter Vivrett, and Gunter Dittmar. They taught me knowledge, design, style, and quality.

What is your favorite memory from your studio days?

Charrettes, teamwork, and camaraderie.

Please identify one (or more) memorable design project that you worked on while a student at the School of Architecture.

Student housing replacement facility on the East Bank of the U of M and 

Architectonic projects.

What major forces (such as individual architects, design philosophies, rendering styles, research methods, etc.) do you remember influencing you significantly as a student?

Being taught to draw and letter, which is a lost art that architects still need to be able to do despite the development of BIM and even if it is mastering the art of drawing well on an iPad. Ralph Rapson's drawing ability was our inspiration. Alonso Hauser told us, "If Ralph can draw so well, you all can learn to draw, just like Ralph did." Although I did not work as a "project designer," three years into my career the ability to plan, draw, and render a plan and section made it easy for me to become a licensed architect (pass the exam in the days of a 12 hour design and draw exam design exercise) and to illustrate the principles of the technology of architecture for which I have become most valued. My appreciation for design made me an integral contributor to the projects on which I worked in the aesthetic development of the details and technology of well executed projects.

Cite an example (be specific) that illustrates how you used the education you received at the School of Architecture to positively impact (or better) your community, city, nation or the world.

I have spent most of my career working on large teams and developing large scale projects in detail. That has transcended into the detection of the technical development of projects and leadership of younger architects in several firms. My impact on this world has been in trying to influence as many architects as possible to understand the importance of the abstract beauty of everything we do in the technical execution of projects, all qualities of design which I learned at Minnesota. As our profession has transitioned from drawings into building information modeling of highly sustainable energy efficient buildings, I have managed to remain a leader of our transition and a trainer of young architects who are producing good buildings. Many of my contemporaries who did not have the advantage of the design, process, and team training which I learned at Minnesota have faded or are fading from relevance in our industry. We as American trained architects remain the leaders of high quality design and performance buildings throughout the world. Based on what I learned at the School of Architecture I understood why Rem Koolhaus wanted to express the user program and interrelationships which generated the shape of the CCTV tower in Beijing. When my firm was hired as a consultant to Rem to develop the vertical transportation systems (elevators) within the CCTV tower, we understood the aesthetic parameters in fitting the required number of elevators within the tower space available, but this was no small challenge. I understood the design requirements of this technical challenge and in my small part, a radical new building form resulted. On the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, I understood the importance of the design statement which Richard Meier was making in my work developing the design and details of the enclosure system for this historic landmark museum which will perform for 50+ years.

H. Mark Ruth

University of Minnesota - M.Arch '67

What was the most important thing/skill/concept you learned at the School of Architecture?

Organization and discipline, and to work quickly.

Who made the most lasting impression (most influenced you) and why?

Ralph Rapson and Walter Vivrett. I was Vivrett's teaching assistant for the Experimental City. 

What is your favorite memory from your studio days?

The range of opportunities available to explore at a large campus. 

Please identify one (or more) memorable design project that you worked on while a student at the School of Architecture.

Mega-City Project in Masters Design Studio. I also had the opportunity to work in Ralph Rapson's office for the design and submission of the University of Santa Cruz Performing Arts Center which won a Progressive Architecture design award in 1968.

What major forces (such as individual architects, design philosophies, rendering styles, research methods, etc.) do you remember influencing you significantly as a student?

I was very interested in new city design, and both the studio and my teaching assistant jobs were directed toward this. I was heavily involved in research for Dean Vivrett and developed a stronger than normal understanding of the elements of new city design. I also liked the design philosophy and rendering style used by Ralph Rapson's office and many of the undergraduate students. My style evolved to be similar.

Cite an example (be specific) that illustrates how you used the education you received at the School of Architecture to positively impact (or better) your community, city, nation or the world.

After I moved to Guam in 1971, the island experienced a large-scale hotel/resort boom supporting the Japanese tourism market. My firm became involved in projects ranging from $50 million to $500 million construction cost. The ability to think strategically and breakdown large scale and complex projects into their elements was valuable. I hope that these projects have benefited the community aesthetically, economically, and socially.

Michael F. Gebhart

University of Minnesota - B.Arch '79  (Class of 1965)

What was the most important thing/skill/concept you learned at the School of Architecture?

To listen, respond, and evolve a design approach which evolves through the understanding of program requirements, site context, and user and personal convictions and messages. To draw without fear - Ralph Rapson used to say, "DRAW IT!" Minnesota grads are known for drawing skills influenced by Ralph Rapson. People assume that it means the so-called "Minnesota Style" renderings. But in my experiences, the drawing talent of Ralph's was more quick, loose, and imaginative sketches and diagrams. Richard Koshalek (now the Director of the Hirshorn Museum) would come in the office on Saturday mornings and unravel Ralph's rough sketches that were tossed into trash cans and save them. These drawings as well as the renders have a great influence on my works.

Who made the most lasting impression (most influenced you) and why?

Ralph Rapson was my neighbor on Prospect Hill, my employer for 5 years on Oak and Washington, my mentor at the U, a lifelong friend, and the most influential person in my professional life. He set a very high level of excellence for all the people he engaged with. His teaching approach, having faculty who actually practice in the real world like John Rauma, Bruce Abrahamson, Leonard Parker, James Stageberg, and so many others interacting with a few theorists like Walter Vivrett, John Meyers, and uniting academia and professional practice, has proven to produce graduates who have immediate impact in their first office employments. Former students like Kay Lockhart, Dick Morrill, Tom Larson, Peter Woytuk, Joe Blair, Jim McBurney, Milo Thompson, Dennis Grebner, and Herb Ketcham set such an enormously high standard of excellence for me and future students to emulate or learn from.

Also, being in and around studios with fellow students like Bill Pedersen, Austris Vitols, John Sheehy, and so many others added great motivation to me as well.

What is your favorite memory from your studio days?

One stunning recollection is still vivid in my mind of the Urban Design Project I where John Sheehy ('65) and I were teamed up on a Master Planning project for Professor Peterson's Urban Design Class. We were creating and documenting pedestrian travel with the visual experiences through sketches, done at 10-minute intervals along our planned continuous Greenway Belt (aping the Ohmstead-style Greenways) connecting Lake of the Isles, Lakes Calhoun/Harriet/Nikomis and Hiawatha to the Mississippi River from the east and north, along the river up to the U of M via Oak Street, all the way to East Hennepin Avenue, extending the tree-lined road edges across the railroad tracks and finally emerging with Stinson Boulevard. Along this path, we created public venue nodes, green and built, one being the former U of M Memorial Stadium Piazza. We lowered the playing surface, added thousands of seats under grade level, leaving the existing seats above (schemes had been proposed to expand above the existing heights) so that pedestrians could access the stadium at mid-level to reduce the overall height to fit better with Stub and Herb's and the great shopping context at Oak and Washington streets.

In front of an audience of many students and faculty, Professor Walter Vivrett approached the 16+ 30x40 Site Diagrams/Plans Sections/Elevation boards (beautifully drawn by John next to my sequence sketches) and placed an overlay transparency of Rome's St. Peters Square over the top of our Memorial Stadium Piazza Node, and declared, "This Piazza is 4 times the scale of St. Peters Square. Mr. Sheehy, how could you be so mislead by Mr. Gebhart? Please take these boards down off the wall." We wound up with back-to-back C+'s . . . after expecting back-to-back A++++++'s. We were in total shock, but it was a learning experience of the first magnitude!

Please identify one (or more) memorable design project that you worked on while a student at the School of Architecture.

I was an almost full-time employee at Ralph Rapson's office over the period from 1960-1965, having only a few classes after transferring from the University of Colorado-Boulder. So a lot of my memories are intertwined with his office and the classrooms concurrently. We were working on projects such as the Guthrie Theater, Rarig Center, St. Paul Arts and Science Center, Cedar Riverside Housing Towers, AIA Headquarters Competition, Lakewood Mausoleum, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Addition, Salvation Army Headquarters, Pillsbury Residence, Cincinnati Redevelopment Housing, Teamster's Housing, Tueting apartments, Strong House, and Wilder Residences. The three most interesting projects as a real student were the North American Conservation Hall of Fame Project, Michael F. Gebhart Thesis Design Project, Mastic Tile Competition, Urban Design Project II.

What major forces (such as individual architects, design philosophies, rendering styles, research methods, etc.) do you remember influencing you significantly as a student?

Ralph Rapson, staff, and students. (Please refer to the second question above.)

Dennis L. Johnson

University of Minnesota - B.A. Arch '54, B.Arch '58

What was the most important thing/skill/concept you learned at the School of Architecture?

Thorough math, physics, and structures education since architecture was then in the Institute of Technology with engineers. Basic design and public presentation skills as well.

Who made the most lasting impression (most influenced you) and why?

George Jones, Ralph Rapson, Professor Walter Vivrett, Oskar Stonorov who was a visiting critic, and Professor Kessler who taught History of Architecture.

What is your favorite memory from your studio days?

Meeting my wife of 58 years, LaVonne (Macalester, '55), studio friends and fellow students, and the team project senior year (see below).

Please identify one (or more) memorable design project that you worked on while a student at the School of Architecture.

My most memorable project was a proposed plan for Central Minneapolis in Fall '57 that was an all-studio team project with 6 sub-groups, and presentation to faculty and Civic Leaders on completion. The thesis was "A Proposed Civic Affairs Center."

What major forces (such as individual architects, design philosophies, rendering styles, research methods, etc.) do you remember influencing you significantly as a student?

Frank Lloyd Wright visiting lecture, Oskar Stonorov, a visiting critic from Philadelphia, Louis Kahn at Penn, and Walter Vivrett.

Cite an example (be specific) that illustrates how you used the education you received at the School of Architecture to positively impact (or better) your community, city, nation or the world.

I have almost constant participation in community and non-profit institutions as a Board Member, Chair, and/or pro-bono services to help them grow and better serve their constituencies.