Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis American Indian Center
Strengthening an urban Native American presence with modern, community-centered design
As one of the oldest urban Native American centers in the nation, the Minneapolis American Indian Center (MAIC) provides essential services to more than 10,000 community members each year and is a cornerstone of the Franklin Avenue Native American Cultural Corridor—hosting programs that promote education, healing, cultural awareness, and employment opportunities.
A community staple since it’s opening in 1975, in recent years MAIC had begun to show significant signs of aging—from a leaky roof to an outdated design that lacked a clear entry and connection to the surrounding neighborhood.
To address these issues, a new addition and remodel reflects MAIC's desire for a modern, culturally expressive space that moves beyond stereotypical Native motifs. Working as a consultant to Full Circle Indigenous Planning + Design, Cuningham served as the project’s interior designer, landscape architect, and architect of record, embracing a thoughtful and contemporary approach that honors Indigenous identity while creating a functional and welcoming environment.
Client: Minneapolis American Indian Center
Size: 74,000 Square Feet (46,000 Remodel | 28,000 Addition)
Scope: Renovation, Addition
Services: Interior Design, Landscape Architecture
Delivery Method: Design-Bid-Build
Key Project Contacts:
The new design replaces the previously siloed layout with one that fosters connection and transparency. At the heart of the new MAIC is a large, drum-shaped rotunda. This central gathering space flows seamlessly into public areas such as a café, an art gallery, a gymnasium, and updated meeting spaces. Large windows throughout the building provide visibility into these spaces, symbolizing openness and creating a strong connection between the interior and the surrounding neighborhood. The rotunda also opens directly to the street, establishing a clear and welcoming presence on Franklin Avenue.
Additional features include a new commons area, expanded youth spaces, an art studio, a fitness center, and a teen tech room. Together, these spaces create a unified and vibrant new facility that allows MAIC to continue supporting the modern needs of a community it has served for generations.
Carrying History Forward
The remodeled space breathes new life into an iconic mural from the original center. Created by artist George Morrison and dedicated during the Minneapolis American Indian Center's 1975 opening, the mural (pictured) features cedar boards arranged in a chevron pattern, abstractly resembling a feather. During the renovation, the artwork was carefully dismantled and sent to a conservator in Montana. Now reinstalled on the center’s east side, the mural continues to serve as a hallmark of the Native American Cultural Corridor, revitalized and preserved as a prominent public artwork.
