I feel like I haven’t done enough to support the efforts of the Mill Towns Trail group (nor the local arts), so I’ll post this, which came to me from Peggy Prowe.

ArtTrail presents the First Annual Tour de Art “Ride with the Mayors”

Please join Northfield mayor Lee Lansing and Dundas mayor Glenn Switzer

Saturday, Aug. 5, 9 a.m.

on an 8 mile bike tour of public art in our communities.

Tour starts at the Northfield Cty Hall.

Tour de Art is part of the Art Swirl Activities. Cycle helmets required.

There is no cost for this event. Donations will be accepted for the ArtTrail Endowment Fund.

ArtTrail is the section of the Mill Towns Trail that connects Northfield and Dundas. Artswirl is a community-wide event hosted by the Northfield Arts Guild and the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation.

So, get on your bike and thank these three organizations for all their fine contributions to Northfield!

PDF Informational Flyer: Tour de ART 2006.pdf

I’m a little late on this one, but according to the Strib, Duluth has become an “Eco-Municipality”. Maybe Northfield should, too.

What does it mean?

Basically, we as a community commit to ecological principles, which, by the way, support human life better, promote biodiversity, and enhance the bottom line.

Sweden’s been doing it for more than twenty-five years. North America is catching on. Pittsburgh, Duluth, Washburn WI, Ashland WI and several others are part of the North American Eco-Municipalities Network.

It’s all based on The Natural Step, a Swedish framework developed to generate consensus on ecological issues and build upward from there. I’ve attended several seminars about the Natural Step; it’s a strong tool to bring people together and to clearly state the issues.

In a nutshell, there are four principles to be followed:

I think Northfield should give it a look. Since both the colleges have gone “green” and we have a strong movement around Just Foods and ReNew Northfield, let’s take the step as a community and go Eco.

Last week, Mary and I met William Frost and his partner Quiana. William has an interesting history, including studies as a landscape architect, a creativity consultant, and his latest gig: designing and installing mazes and labyrinths. The Butterfly Peace Path is one of them.

Like you might guess, it is a butterfly-shaped path installed at Clear Springs Elementary school in Minnetonka. The butterfly is a symbol of transformation; the labyrinth is an ancient tool toward balance and inner peace. How appropriate for an International Peace Site!

We found our visit with William to be interesting, engaging and inspiring. He can be reached through his website, www.williamfrost.net or 612-940-0257.

On a related note, Quiana gave us a copy of the first edition of the Whole Living Directory. From its inside cover:

This directory was created out of a desire to foster a sense of community amongst those involed in the whole living arts…to promote greater awareness of the worderful services available in this community and to help make them more readily available to those interested in whole living.

In August 2006, they plan for an online directory at www.wholelivingdirectory.org.

As long as I’m blogging on unbuilt work: We’ve also been designing a home for a couple who are moving to southeastern Iowa. It’s an interesting project since she is in Indiana at their current home and he is working in Minneapolis right now. The combination of our 3D computer modeling and online collaboration software makes it possible to share ideas, thoughts and concerns across great distances. For longer-term review, we have e-mailed PDF’s of the concepts. Technology has certainly opened a wide range of collaboration possibilities, including a virtually paper-free collaboration!

Last week, we finalized the schematic design via a three-way online meeting, then sent out documents to their contractor for a price check. Upon approval, we will proceed with construction documentation.

So, what about the house?

It is an interpretation of the Prairie Style, at our clients’ request. Strong horizontal lines and authentic materials are its mainstay. The main floor master suite offers views across the lake to the southeast, affording privacy to the suite while sharing views and solar access with the Great Room. The Great Room will be open and airy, capitalizing on selected views through the home. The kitchen is the hub of the home, with quick access to the office, laundry, dining, and family room. Fireplaces will grace both the sitting room and the family room.

Four additional bedrooms on the walk-out level will look southwest across the lake. They share two bathrooms and access to the lake through a game room. The southeast end of the basement will be a spacious storage room for patio furniture, seasonal equipment and a boat on its trailer.

In terms of energy efficiency, we have oriented the building to receive maximum solar gain in the winter months while responding to the topography to minimize earth work. The overhangs are calculated to block out the high summer sun but to allow the lower winter rays into the home. A geothermal heat pump will provide very efficient heating and cooling.

If all goes as planned, construction will begin this fall.

Sometimes it seems like projects take a long time to be built after they leave our office, for a variety of reasons. So, today I thought I’d post a recent project Mary and I have just finished designing: a poolhouse in Credit River.

Designed to take its cues from the existing home, it will blend well into it’s context. The high gable houses the Great Room, combining dining, kitchen, and a sitting area. Plentiful walls of glass connect it strongly to the pool and the woods around it (which we didn’t model, as you can tell!). The shower and bathroom benefit from south-facing translucent wall panels for natural daylighting. I like how the building “reads” from the outside; guests will know where to shower before crossing the threshold! I also feel like we achieved an unpretentious simplicity of form that is both engaging and understated.

Despite plenty of doors, translucent walls and windows, the building performs roughly 7% better than code requirements for energy use. Given the usage patterns of the building, I’m sure it will perform even better (seasonal and occasional usage as opposed to the full-time home the code assumes). This is important to us as well.

The footings and foundations will be poured this fall, with the remaining construction in the spring.

Our client is delighted with the design, too, and anxious for its completion.