|
|
By jmetzler, on August 26th, 2010
As work continues on the exterior it becomes much easier to get a sense of what the house will actually be like when finished. The loggia on the upper terrace is framed and being on the terrace feels a little bit like being in a tree house. The eyebrow over the entrance door has also been mostly framed and the roofing is going on.
 Stairs to upper terrace and loggia.  Eyebrow roof at entrance has been framed. The rough-in of mechanical and electrical systems has been underway inside the house for some time now. Electrical boxes located on exterior walls are either installed in a vapor barrier box or installed in special electrical boxes. It’s important to prevent any air leakage through walls so these methods are used so that the penetrations for wires can be sealed and so the vapor barrier can be sealed to the box in an air tight manner.
As the ductwork is installed all the joints are sealed with tape and/or mastic. All openings for supply registers and return air grills are sealed almost immediately. This keeps debris from falling into the ducts during the remainder of the construction and helps to ensure air quality after the home is finished.
 Electrical box on exterior wall installed in vapor barrier box.  Supply register is sealed after installation.
By jmetzler, on June 9th, 2010
The framing of the house has been progressing even though I haven’t been writing! Most of the house is framed except for the library bay window, which is largely steel framed, the front porch eybrow, and some incidental interior framing.
The framing incorporates some efficient framing measures to save resources and make the home more sustainable. These include spacing the exterior studs at 24″ on center instead of the usual 16″ on center, sizing headers (the beams over doors and windows) for actual loads, and using mostly trusses for floor and roof framing. The greater stud spacing and header sizing not only saves lumber, but allows more of the wall cavity to be filled with insulation.
 Floor tursses and studs spaced at 24". Many more sustainable features are planned for this home and the home is expected to receive LEED for Homes certification upon completion. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which developed LEED for Homes, the Rating System measures overall performance of a home in eight categories. These are:
Innovation & Design Process (ID)
Location & Linkages (LL)
Sustainable Sites (SS)
Water Efficiency (WE)
Energy & Atmosphere (EA)
Materials & Resources (MR)
Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ)
Awareness & Education (AE)
Energy efficient framing contributes to the efficient use of materials under the Materials & Resources category because it saves resources. Using products with a high recycled content is another way to conserve resources. Selecting materials that are environmentally preferable (having a low environmental impact) is another important consideration. A number of factors can contribute to a product being considered environmentally preferable. These include the energy that is required to produce a product as well as energy required to transport the finished product.
By phannan, on May 3rd, 2010
-
-
Existing view from kitchen
-
-
New view from kitchen
-
-
Existing kitchen
-
-
New kitchen
-
-
View to new porch
-
-
The magic in the porch
After living in their home for a period of time, owners often discover things that no longer work as well as they once did, elements that need to be changed, or a change in lifestyle requires a modification to the home. Sometimes, selling and moving into a different home is the best alternative. Perhaps opportunity knocks allowing the acquisition of that fabulous piece of property that will make the design and building of their dream home a reality. More often than not however, remodeling the existing home is the best alternative.
There are many factors, including economics, that contribute to the decision to remodel and/or add an addition to the existing home. The neighborhood and location are great, the lot is beautiful, or the home has great potential that has not been realized, are a few of those factors.
Scott and Mary Beth went through this thought process before deciding to remodel their mid 1970’s saltbox. While making the necessary and wise decision to replace the old, inefficient windows with energy efficient windows, they decided that staying in the home was the correct choice. Their children had grown and moved out and they planned on staying in the house for the foreseeable future. It was necessary to make some changes to meet their lifestyle as well as adding value to the home. Since the kitchen and family room were spaces that they knew would be changed, they held off replacing the windows in those areas until the redesign was going to be realized. When they contacted me, I was told that I needed to perform my “magic” to change their home. We have been friends for years so I knew that we would make a good team.
Since I had the pleasure of being at their home many times socially, when we began speaking of the goals for the remodel, there was an immediate familiarity with these goals. Initially, 4 were identified. Increase natural light, improve the kitchen and main floor, improve the family entry, and add a screen porch. Once the design was complete, we connected with Chris and Rich from Candlewood Carpentry, and the construction began.
With the rear of the house facing north, in the woods, achieving more natural light was a challenge. We began by replacing an existing French door with multiple cottage style double hung windows to match the existing windows. At the kitchen sink, the window was increased in size. The new 4-panel door to the screen porch was gracious and allowed the light from the 4 skylights in the porch to spill into the eating area. The west wall of the family room was home to the fireplace but had no windows. By adding a small window on each side of the fireplace, we captured the west light and opened up the “feel” of the space. This small gesture had a great impact on the success of the remodel.
The kitchen and family room remained as they were when the home was built. Although functional, the design was lacking by today’s standards, the cabinets were showing their age, and a half wall between the kitchen and family room was a barrier. We began by looking at these two spaces as one and expanded the vision to include the rest of the main floor. By moving the half bath from the center hall to the new mudroom area, the size of the kitchen space increased without expanding beyond the existing exterior walls. The half wall between the kitchen and family room was removed creating a space that worked together.
The existing dining room was too small for large dinners and the living room was a spacious, but seldom used area. With the help of Shelley Carr of Baker Court Interiors, we converted the living room to the new dining room while the old dining room became a sitting room, or “cozy” room as Mary Beth calls it. Now both of these spaces are well used and loved.
As with most homes with attached garages, the entrance from the garage becomes the family entrance. The existing space was small, but had a closet and window with the floor area being occupied by two kennels for their dogs. The door from the garage was around the corner in a cumbersome storage area. By expanding the mudroom into this storage area, there was enough space for a bench and lockers, a closet, the kennels, storage cabinets, and the relocated powder room. This new mudroom space is now a welcoming family entry.
The final piece to the success of the project was the screen porch. In Minnesota, the ability to have a space that will allow you to enjoy the outside without fighting our beloved mosquitoes, expands the living area. With the doors from the eating area open to the porch, it becomes an integral part of the main floor. When completed, it was used and occupied daily. A great place to share a meal, curl up with a good book, or take a much needed nap. In the case of Scott and Mary Beth’s screen porch, it became something much more.
Shortly before their daughter Lindsay and her fiancé, Chris, were to leave for graduate school, they decided to move up their wedding date. With help from friends, white twinkling lights, dozens of bouquets of flowers, and yards of tulle, the porch was transformed into a beautiful wedding chapel that in Mary Beth’s words was “magical”.
By banderson, on April 20th, 2010
On Wednesday, April 28th at 6:30 pm, Timothy Fuller, AIA, LEED AP, will be presenting New Houses in Old Neighborhoods, as part of our ongoing series of workshops exploring the architecture of home.
For several generations we have typically looked to the suburban or rural landscapes as a place to build our new homes. Today many factors are conspiring to make people consider either relocating to or reclaiming a place in our core cities. Come participate in a discussion about how a number of our clients have made this happen. We will discuss locating and procuring property, the prospects of tearing down existing structures, the constraints of small lot development and of course, how to design a home that becomes a “good neighbor”, a new home in an old neighborhood.
The workshop will be held at SALA’s Minneapolis office. The cost for this event is $10 per person (cash or check only) with all proceeds benefitting Project for Pride in Living. Please RSVP to info@salaarc.com or call 612 379 3037.
By banderson, on April 20th, 2010
SALA Architects is thrilled to welcome you to the 23rd Annual Home Tour. This weekend, April 24th and 25th, five of our recent projects will be on display. We are grateful to our enthusiastic homeowners who have offered to showcase their homes on this tour. Please visit us at any of these homes to learn their stories and be inspired by the opportunities that await you in the city.
To learn more about the tour and see locations for all homes visit www.msphometour.com
As part of this year’s Home Tour, Eric Odor, AIA, LEED AP, will be presenting The Art and Science of the Open Plan at the SALA Minneapolis office on Sunday, April 25th at noon. Workshops are free and open to the public.
By banderson, on March 24th, 2010
Jim and Eileen stumbled across a copy of Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big House just before beginning construction on an addition to their rural farmhouse. The couple realized from reading Susanka’s book that the addition of more space might not be necessary, or even successful, in meeting their needs. I remember Eileen’s call vividly because she immediately asked “can you help us?”
The belief that architects are only useful in designing avante-garde dwellings is proliferated by our use of phrases like “avante-garde.” We have not done a particularly good job of highlighting practicality and value, often obscuring them behind theoretical language and glossy, uninhabited photos.
So for Jim and Eileen, it was a bold question. For me, it was an opportunity to challenge these assumptions and reassure an uncertain homeowner that an architect can contribute value to modest projects.
Eileen described their needs over the phone. The couple planned to age in the home but was restricted by narrow passageways and tight turns. They expected to add a bedroom to live on one level, but would prefer a screen porch, if they needed to add space.
I proposed meeting them at their home to further discuss their goals in the context of the space. If a solution presented itself, I would measure and document any necessary information, and take it back to the office to draw up what would be needed for construction. I would bill my time on a simple hourly basis.
I arrived mid-morning on our agreed upon day to find Jim and Eileen canning pickles. I was afraid I had gotten the day wrong, expecting them to be seated at a table covered in dog-eared issues of home magazines. Instead, so casual and adept was their ability to prepare food while discussing the workings of their, it was clear that function would trump design flourishes in their home.
The Before Plan illustrates the homes limitations. The original bathroom was extremely tight and their bedroom was barely large enough to contain their bed. Any future decrease in mobility would render the arrangement unusable. The living and dining room, however, was much larger than the couple found necessary, and like most homes on the prairie, evolution had reduced the window size and quantity to prioritize shelter.
In addition to making the home more functional, Jim and Eileen longed for a transition space between inside and outside. A place to relax and feel connected to the land they cared for. The After Plan shows the startling transformation made possible with a few careful moves. First, a portion of the living room was given over to the bedroom, aligning the couple’s priorities with their square footage. Second, a non-load bearing and minimally plumbed wall was moved to create an accessible turning radius within the bathroom. This left room for a walk-in closet free of clumsy door swings and wasted corners. Third and final, the screened porch was added off the living room via a new French door, that not only gives Jim and Eileen their much desired place to relax, but also expands the reduced living space in comfortable weather and creates two new sheltered points of entry.
 
A local contractor joined us for our meeting at the house. He’d been prepared to build the addition, but respected Jim and Eileen’s decision to not add unnecessary space. It was clear he also respected our simple, practical solutions. Detail necessary for construction would be limited, and the local lumberyard could provide any engineering. My time totaled less than two days, only 15 hours, to provide Jim and Eileen the opportunity to enjoy their home for years to come.Months after I sent drawings off to Jim and Eileen I received an email describing life in the new layout. It was filled with marvelous domestic details, including “We don’t have to go the basement for a shower. We can both get ready for church at the same time, Jim at his sink and me at mine.”
The services noticeably missing from this process that allowed my time to remain limited, include design exploration, material selections, construction details, lighting, etc. Other considerations that reduced the scope of work include documenting a small, simple home, avoiding complex structural changes, and a speedy time frame.
Given the perception of architects, it may come as a surprise that an architect would find reward in such a modest project, but architecture is fundamentally about problem solving. For Jim and Eileen, the problem was how to fully enjoy their home as they age. For me, nothing could be as rewarding as contributing to that opportunity.
By banderson, on March 11th, 2010
On Wednesday, March 31st at 6:30 pm, Eric Odor, AIA, LEED AP, will lead a workshop illustrating the advantages and disadvantages of the open floor plan in sustainable living. The discussion will begin with a brief history of the open plan and then, with the aid of plans and models, move into a demonstration of its application in new homes and remodelings.
The workshop will be held at SALA’s Minneapolis office. The cost for this event is $10 per person (cash or check only, please) with all proceeds benefitting Habitat for Humanity.
RSVP to info@salaarc.com or call 612 379 3037.
Please note our next workshop will be April 28th at 6:30 pm, when Tim Fuller will lead a discussion on thoughtfully designed new homes in established neighborhoods.
By jmetzler, on March 10th, 2010
 House sub-basement is in the foreground. Room under the garage is in the upper left with retaining wall for driveway in the upper right. Work on the foundation walls is nearly complete. Most walls are 12″ reinforced concrete but the walls under the garage are somewhat unique. In this area we used a Thermomass system for these walls because we wanted insulation in the center of the wall with concrete protection on each side. Each concrete layer is 6″ thick and there is 2 1/2″ of extruded polystyrene foam rigid insulation with an R value of 12.5. Fiber-composite connectors are used to hold the insulation in place in the form before the concrete is poured. Unlike metal connectors, these connectors will eliminate thermal bridging through the wall.
Insulation is also visible at the tops of the retaining walls. This is temporary blocking to create a narrower wall at the top. The blocking will be removed later. The top of the wall was sloped by hand as the concrete stiffened up and this will be covered by a stone cap.
By jmetzler, on March 2nd, 2010
A SALA Architects designed remodeling has been included by Vujovich Design Build in the Spring 2010 Remodelers Showcase.
 A formerly nondescript 1970s split level was transformed into an Arts & Crafts showpiece through the design of SALA Architects and the craftsmanship of Vujovich Design Build. The home features exquisite millwork, cabinetry, and detailing including handmade tile. The exterior was also transformed with a new entry porch, changes to the roof, as well as new windows and siding.
The home will be open Friday, March 26 through Sunday, March 28 from noon till 6 p.m. Located at 3165 Priest Lane in Mound, MN, it is home R41 on the tour. There is no charge for admission. The project was designed by Joseph G. Metzler and Steven K. Buetow of SALA. For more information see http://www.paradeofhomes.org/remodeled-home/remodeled-home.aspx?id=863. (”The Remodelers Showcase” is a service mark of the Builders Association of the Twin CIties and is used with permission.)
By dwagner, on February 24th, 2010
 Hoarfrost on pine needles
The long pine needles glisten with hoarfrost in the early light of this winter morning. Walking through foot-deep snow, I come to the edge of a pine grove and pass from open clearing to the shelter of the grove’s understory. It’s here, among the Pine Collection at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, that I find myself captivated by a transformation nearly three years in the making.
Back in January of 2007, I made the same snowy trek with temperatures hovering just above zero, to view potential building sites for the Arboretum’s annual summer sculpture exhibit. I was intent on submitting a design for their exhibit, themed enigmatically “Human/Nature”. I pondered what this might mean as a group of 40 of us –artists, architects, and landscape designers– stepped out the doors of the visitor center on a tour through the Arboretum’s grounds looking for possible inspiration.
As we trudged along a path that skirted a pine grove, I was struck by what I saw. Underneath and in between the tall trees, a mix of dark grey trunks, peeling crimson bark, and rich green boughs called to me. While the group moved on, I stopped in my tracks, secretly hoping no one else was noticing the magnetic pull I felt. This place begged me to step off the path and into its mysterious realm. I hastily snapped a few photographs, and caught back up to the group, but inside my head I was already scheming to create a design to inhabit this powerful space.
Back at SALA’s design studio in Minneapolis, I sketched out my idea: a box that would provide a strong geometric contrast to the natural complexity of the tree trunks and canopy, and that would reveal a contemplative and meditative space within its walls. The form would take on the nature of Midwest corn-cribs –simple agrarian structures with spaced-slat siding used for drying corn– and would be open to the sky above. Sloped walls on the interior would focus attention upward, and allow visitors to lean back against the walls to a view through the pine boughs.
 Freshly cut tamarack glows against the dark trunks of the pines
To my delight, PINE/Cone, as it was dubbed by a co-worker, was selected to be one of fifteen exhibits for that summer’s event. As I worked to create the detailed drawings and specifications for construction, certain elements fell neatly into place –the frame would be formed from sustainably harvested lumber, and the stone reflecting pool would be honed from local Mesabi Range granite. The choice of wood for the slats was a critical question to answer. It needed to be a durable wood, naturally decay resistant, and capable of standing up to a long season of Minnesota’s harsh climate. In addition, I wanted to avoid preservative treatments containing harmful toxins and volatile organic compounds. While western red cedar would have been a logical choice, I was concerned about transporting this material from half a continent away. Instead I was able to turn to Rajala Timber near Grand Rapids, MN, who sustainably harvest native tamarack.
Also known as larch, tamarack is a tree that grows across much of upper North America. While this softwood looks much like other conifers, with straight trunks and green pine needles, as the latin name Larix decidua suggests, in the autumn it will lose it’s needles like deciduous trees lose their leaves. While the trees never grow very large, their golden fall color makes them one of the most striking trees in our state. It’s also a tree that grows readily in wet, swampy soil, and has thus evolved to be very resistant to rot and decay. This makes its wood exceptionally well-suited to outdoor use, and along with the fact that it’s grown and harvested in Minnesota, it made the perfect choice for cladding PINE/Cone.
 Mesabi granite pool reflects pine boughs and the sky above
PINE/Cone was never supposed to make it beyond October that year. My contract with the Arboretum expressly stated that installations were to be removed by the end of summer, and it had been our intent to dismantle and recycle the building components. But visitors along with some staff at the Arboretum had become attached in some way to this box, and there was a grassroots effort to extend the life of PINE/Cone. I was asked by the Arboretum if it would be okay to leave Pine/cone up through that winter and into spring. I said yes, and now, three winters later, Pine/Cone is still with us.
Each winter I’ve gone out with Christian Soltermann, the structural engineer who helped me with the project, to look at the basic integrity of the structure. The day we went out this season, a thick fog hovered over the rolling hillsides of the arboretum depositing thick layers of ice on tree branches and needles. As we passed into the pine grove, PINE/Cone came into view. For a moment, I felt as if I were looking at a black and white photo, for the tamarack cladding had all turned grey, and with the white snow and frosted pine needles, everything appeared without color –varied tones of grey, white and black.
Time has marked itself across the face of PINE/Cone. What once were gleaming, fresh-cut boards are now silvered, and grey. The tamarack boards have taken on a life and an aging that reveals the oxidizing effect of ultra-violet sun rays, of the battering of rain and snow, the repeated wetting and drying of the wood. Even seasonal differences cause wear and tear with the swelling and shrinking caused by changing levels of humidity in the air, and in the expansion and contraction of the materials caused by changes in temperature.
In today’s world of increasing focus on “maintenance free” building materials, we lose something in the mystery and power that comes with materials that have been matured by the weathering of time, worn smooth by thousands of hands passing over their surfaces, or in the stain of water that has tracked across their facade. Product manufacturers would have us believe that materials don’t have a life-span, that things will always look brand new –forever in a state as if their packaging was just removed.
Anyone who has looked at the faces in the Depression Era portraits by photographers Dorthea Lange and Walker Evans knows the powerful aesthetic effect of weathering. We see depth, meaning, hardship, and hope in these faces. Similarly the weathered face of a building tells a story. It tells us something about the place where they’re located: which way the wind blows, how the sun travels across the sky, and the intensity of a region’s climate. Weathering roots us in our sense of place, and in the passage of time. Over time each material will weather at a different rate, and in doing so provides us with contrasts between timelessness and ephemerality.
This year, I’ll be celebrating my 40th anniversary of circling around the sun, and with that daunting news, I have spent some time considering the wrinkles around my face and the grey hairs on my head. In life as in architecture, time is a component that can be honored or fought. Perhaps there is a grace to be found in accepting the effects of time, and wisdom to be discovered in the story told by a weathered face.
|
|
