Wells Fargo Center, Postmodern office tower in Downtown Minneapolis, United States
The Wells Fargo Center is a 57-story office tower in downtown Minneapolis with a granite facade and expansive reflective windows that respond to the changing light. The structure rises approximately 240 meters and defines a significant part of the skyline.
The building was completed in 1989, replacing the Northwestern National Bank Building that was destroyed in a major office fire in 1982. The city took several years after the fire before constructing this new tower on the same site.
The interior features a public pedestrian promenade with a ceremonial lobby and a soaring rotunda, creating spaces where people naturally gather and pass through. These areas shape how visitors and workers experience the building each day.
The building is accessible to pedestrians through its public promenade, which connects easily to surrounding streets and areas. The interior spaces offer climate-controlled shelter, which is especially welcome during harsh Minnesota winters or warm summers.
The architect César Pelli drew inspiration from the neighboring CenturyLink Building and the nearby Foshay Tower when designing this structure. You can spot references to these older buildings reflected in the subtle details of the postmodern design.
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