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Corporate Heritage08-19-03 | 16
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The General Mill Courtyard fountain's single water source quietly trickles off the flat surface of the stone into the basin below, recalling or mimicking the sound of falling rain. The placement of the chair offers full view of the interior courtyard.

General Mills, the thriving international consumer food company, headquartered in Golden Valley, MN, maintains an art collection containing more than 2,000 pieces ranging from paintings to site specific sculptures. Complementing the striking landscape of the company's 85-acre campus, the art forms create what is thought to be one of the finest sculpture gardens in the country.

In 1995, General Mills expanded their collection to include a rather atypical piece-- a glass-enclosed courtyard. Designed by the Landscape Architecture Group at Hammel Green and Abrahamson, Inc. (HGA), under the direction of Thomas Oslund, ASLA, the courtyard plays an important role in relating General Mills' humble beginnings. As the business expanded into cereals and baking products, it never abandoned its founding principles. The courtyard's minimalist expression celebrates water, stone and plant-- essential ingredients to the company's livelihood.

The 2,000-square foot enclosed courtyard is surrounded on three sides by executive offices. The fourth side fronts the executive dining room with uninterrupted views into the space. Three basic elements comprise the courtyard: the grist fountain, chair/planter, and a conical topiary frame. Made entirely from granite, most of the pieces used in the courtyard were salvaged from a quarry.

The fountain's single water source trickles off the flat surface of the stone into the basin below. The native granite chair features a planter box containing bamboo, and represents the precarious relationship between the agrarian landscape and the business world-- and the delicate balance requires for both to flourish. A conical topiary frame is delineated with stainless steel members and a granite base. Jasmine is trained on the framework and will consume it in green foliage over time. The topiary represents the manipulation of plant life to create the products that sustain the corporation and allow it to thrive.

"This was a wonderful project for us," explains Daniel Avchen, HGA's Chief Executive Officer. "We were able to create a collage of objects that is visually arresting and elegant. We took an underutilized space and found an incredible solution to the age-old problem of creating a workable atrium in a frigid climate." Considered more of a visual rather than purely functional space, the courtyard has been transformed into an oasis, which stimulates and soothes all of the senses. lasn
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