Featured Architect of the Week: SALA Architects
Offbeat Homes is an odd blog to write. ‘Offbeat’ is subjective and mostly, I suppose, subjective to me. There’s no doubt that almost everyone would agree that structures like the Poop House or the Spider Web Chalet are offbeat. But what about extremely beautiful homes — off the cuff beauty like the Camouflage House or massive green induced and mod like the mkLotus.
By the way I seemed way more obsessed with the Camouflage House than anyone else which proves my point. Offbeat is subjective.
I’ve been considering this question because the first architects I wanted to use for the new weekly feature is SALA Architects. They aren’t completely wacky so I almost changed my mind. I didn’t however and here’s why. I think SALA is offbeat in a way that still appeals to a broad base. As in offbeat livable. Most of us like to see homes like the Toilet House but come on; is it livable? Would you build a house like it? Likely not.
This is where I’m coming from with SALA. This is a company that builds homes unlike what most of us see in our surrounding neighborhoods — thus offbeat and yet you could see yourself living there. That might be the best kind of offbeat home. Livable, doable, not so odd that three people in the universe might actually move in.
On to this week’s featured architect:
SALA Architects are based in Minnesota; in Minneapolis, Excelsior, and Stillwater. Stillwater, by the way, is a town you have to visit if you happen to be in Minnesota (it’s slick).
SALA builds some really amazing structures and they can work with a green slant if a home buyer wishes. The best thing about SALA is what I mentioned above; SALA architects, for the most part, do not build average homes as in you stop and take another look but their homes aren’t so unaverage that you’d shun them as unlivable. A nice mix.
The Freeman House in River Falls, Wisconsin by Meghan Kell Cornell is striking.
This is one of my favorite SALA homes. I love when simplicity can draw you in like this and the home doesn’t overpower the landscape. Also, this home was built on a restricted budget so see… anyone can build beautiful. It is in River Falls which is where my in-laws live so I could never live in this specific home but I’d live in it elsewhere.
Now you really need to go see the last picture of The Freeman House home at the SALA website. The floor in this home is beautiful. However, and here is my SALA complaint; they have one of those wonky architect sites where you can’t bookmark specific pages. That’s a bummer because it makes it hard for me to make it easy for you to visit.
Still, their website is worth visiting. If you like to see the plans for this home visit the SALA Architects website, click on designers, click on Meghan Kell Cornell, and it’s the second to last home on her list.
See, now I always wonder why so many amazing architects have poorly designed websites. If I wanted to bookmark home ideas as a buyer I couldn’t do it — it’s not user friendly. However, this isn’t a web design 101 blog so I’ll leave it at that. In spite of the website I really do adore SALA so we’ll take a look at a couple more homes from them this week.
Until then I’m wondering about my original question — what does Offbeat mean to you. Do you only think homes underwater deserve the title? Is an all lavender home with red polka dots offbeat of merely the result of too much beer? Is beauty offbeat? Is small beyond belief or ugly offbeat?
I’m curious what the readers of Offbeat Homes think so let me know. Consider it some market research — just a dabble.
Tags: Camouflage-House, Minnesota, offbeat-homes, poop-house, sala-architects, Spider-Web-Chalet, stillwaterRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Architects, Featured Architect of the Week, Rural, Simplicity
5 opinions for Featured Architect of the Week: SALA Architects
Crabby McSlacker
Nov 12, 2007 at 8:02 am
Wow, lots of awesomeness in the last few days, you’ve been busy.
I think the SALA homes are pretty cool, and personally don’t mind a few non-wacky homes thrown in the mix. Half the fun of looking at these home is picturing myself living in them, and with SALA, that seems very appealing.
As long as there are still plenty of “Oh my God, Wow that’s so freaky and cool!” homes featured (and I can’t imagine you’d stop bringing us the best of those) then I think variety is great!
marye
Nov 12, 2007 at 8:20 am
Off Beat?
Any house that doesn’t look like it belongs on the street from the scene in Madeline L’Engle’s book, A WInd in the Door, where all the kids are out front bouncing basket balls at exactly the same rate, with exactly the same clothes…
I like to see how other people are utilizing space and decorating it…
Jennifer
Nov 13, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Both of you are actually in line with what I think. I think that there does need to be a balance because you obviously can’t find a toilet house each day — maybe someone else could but not me.
Good answers both of you thanks!
Although, “all the kids are out front bouncing basket balls at exactly the same rate, with exactly the same clothes…” I would find this very offbeat don’t you think? But I do get your point.
Featured Architect of the Week: SALA Architects
Nov 15, 2007 at 6:20 pm
[…] the post this week about SALA Architects I shared The Freeman House in River Falls, Wisconsin by Meghan Kell Cornell. Next up is something a bit more […]
Featured Architect of the Week: SALA Architects
Nov 17, 2007 at 1:19 am
[…] post with SALA Architects. Tomorrow we’re moving on. So far we’ve seen the very nice Freeman House, the unique Lake Superior Tower Retreat, and the breath taking Johnson […]
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