Paulsen Architects’ Spam Museum featured in new book Big Box ReuseMANKATO, Minn. (November 20, 2008) — As communities throughout the United States struggle with vast and vacant K-Marts and Wal-Mart shells, MIT Press releases a new book this month filled with ideas, inspiration and success stories of revitalization entitled Big Box Reuse. Highlighted in the book is Austin, Minnesota’s Spam Museum—once an abandoned K-Mart reborn as a thriving visitor attraction through the investment of the Hormel Corporation and the vision and design of Paulsen Architects.
The book’s author, Julia Christensen a Oberlin College professor, examines how empty big boxes across the country have been redirected with the efforts of private and community ventures into museums, libraries, early childhood centers, churches and even an indoor raceway.
In the sixth chapter--which focuses solely on the Spam Museum--Christensen chronicles the development, design and construction of the Spam Museum and Hormel Corporate South detailing the driving factors behind the unique design proposed by Paulsen Architects. Staff interviews, photos of the completed building, plans and construction drawings as well Paulsen’s sketches that were submitted during Hormel’s design competition to select the architect are included in the book.
The book was released on November 13th at the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University and has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered as well as in Architect Magazine and the Chronicle of High Education. Excerpts from the book and reviews by publications such as the Washington Post can be viewed at www.bigboxresuse.com. The book is available for purchase at www.amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.
About Julia Christensen
Julia Christensen is an artist whose work has been featured in the New York Times, the Globe and Mail, Preservation Magazine for the National Trust, and other publications. Her art has been shown in galleries and museums nationwide. She is Henry R. Luce Visiting Professor of the Emerging Arts at Oberlin College and Conservatory. Back
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