In the Midst of Transformation
As Minneapolis’s “first real public space”, the Crystal Court has served as the city’s symbolic crossroads and town square for decades. See how we’ve evolved this iconic urban park to serve future generations.
Watch the Crystal Court Transform
January 12, 2021
January 21, 2021
February 24, 2021
March 16, 2021
April 22, 2021
May 14, 2021
June 16, 2021
The
City’s
Heartbeat
Symbolic crossroads and thriving town square
Crystal Court has served as a central gathering place for the Minneapolis community for nearly 50 years. Known as a “social skyscraper,” the IDS Center is where thousands of people from all walks of life – businesspeople, musicians, artists, athletes and families – can come to meet, make memories, network, and forge and deepen friendships at any time of year.

“One of the few convincing, lively, wholly-enclosed urban spaces of the postwar era”
— Architect Robert Stern, 2005

“The ‘Grand Central Station of a two-level pedestrian railroad network’”
— Architecture Critic Donald Canty, 1979
To ensure our vision for the future of the Crystal Court pays homage to the legacy of its past, we partnered with local architects and design professionals Perkins and Will and New History, who, like us, fully understand the significance of this special place. We cherish their expertise and deep ties to this community, which ensured this project was completed with the utmost respect for – and in celebration of – the Crystal Court’s importance to Minneapolis.
We collectively and carefully crafted a plan that included installing collaborative seating areas with modular furniture and enhancing the indoor urban garden by adding a larger natural tree cover and green space. An infinity-edge fountain now fosters a sense of serenity through an engaging water feature.
Creating
Inspiring
and
Sustainable
Workplaces
Making the World a Better Place One Building at a Time
At Accesso, we are firm believers in understanding the needs and expectations of the communities in which we operate. This approach allows us to fulfill our goal of making the world a better place – one building at a time. We look forward to seeing how our Minneapolis community’s experiences will be enhanced in the Crystal Court.
Before & After



