Minoru Yamasaki's Northwestern National Life Building in Minneapolis to Be Converted Into Hotel
In downtown Minneapolis, a hotel will be established in a building crafted by Minoru Yamasaki, which has stood vacant since 2023 after serving as the headquarters for the Northwestern National Life Insurance Company. A proposal for adaptive reuse was submitted in April 2026, with plans to open in 2028. Erected in the early 1960s, the structure boasts a striking portico adorned with slender, pointed arches made of white quartz concrete. The new hotel will feature 165 rooms, wellness facilities, event spaces, and retail options to enhance public accessibility. Yamasaki, celebrated for designing the original World Trade Center, aimed for a design that harmonizes grandeur with lightness. The project is pending approvals and funding before construction can commence.
Key facts
- Minoru Yamasaki designed the Northwestern National Life Building in Minneapolis.
- The building has been vacant since 2023.
- Initial plans for conversion into a hotel were presented in April 2026.
- Projected opening is targeted for 2028.
- The building was completed in the early 1960s.
- It originally accommodated approximately 500 employees.
- The portico features slender, pointed arches in white quartz concrete.
- Plans include 165 hotel rooms, wellness areas, event spaces, and retail.
Entities
Artists
- Minoru Yamasaki
- Lawrence Halprin
Institutions
- Northwestern National Life Insurance Company
- Getty Center
- STARTT
- European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards
- AgwA
- architecten jan de vylder inge vinck
- Vidic Grohar Arhitekti
Locations
- Minneapolis
- United States
- 20 Washington Avenue South
- Rome
- Italy
- Charleroi
- Belgium
- Ljubljana
- Slovenia