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We had the opportunity over spring break to tour a project we’d designed a couple of years ago. It was a walk-out basement on Circle Lake that needed finishing. When the house was designed and built, not much forethought was given to the basement layout and the proposed floor plan just wasn’t going to work well for the owners. A complication was the plumbing: the rough-ins weren’t exactly where we’d have liked them, and the radiant in-floor heat made tearing up the floor (to relocate the plumbing) a poor solution.

In the end, we found a way to get the bar where we wanted it and worked around the plumbing issue. 3-D computer modeling brought the possibilities to life, allowing the owners to understand the flow of the rooms, the sight lines and creative finishes. They now have a stunning entertaining space, two kids’ bedrooms and shared bath, a game room and a bathroom easily accessible from the outdoors for their lower level.

The bar is certainly the focal point, and the owner set the stone and tile himself. A skilled mason, the work echoes the stone on the home’s exterior, which blends the inside and outside, making a great visual as well as physical connection. Taking the time to do things right is evident in this project: the granite countertop was custom fabricated, the slate tile was laid in a pattern, and all the stone layouts were planned before setting began. Left to do: appliances and a game table.

Not every homeowner has the skills or time to install so much of their own project. We can help you decide how much you’d like to tackle and then we’ll help find craftspeople to do the rest. And we’ll get them the drawings and information they need to understand the vision we created together.

Watch the “portfolio” section of our website as we add more photos of the project. And let us know how we can help you.

VIVUS Architecture + Design has renewed its membership in the US Green Building Council as an indicator of our interest in , expertise regarding, and support of the sustainable building movement in the United States.

Ask us how we can help you measure how sustainable your project can be!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”
- Helen Keller

Just read a research summary from the University of Minnesota’s InformeDesign that discussed the apparent difference in aesthetic preferences between architects and building users. To cut to the quick:

Based on the report, building design that would satisfy both architects and building users would include:

I invite you to check out our portfolio; you’ll find that our projects appeal to both the users and the architect!

This Saturday, April 10, is the Northfield Home Expo, the local show of home, garden and Northfield area life. There promises to be a great selection of goods and services for everything you may need, including some items you didn’t know were available in Northfield.

We’ll be drawing for two hours of free design service–architectural or interior design–so be sure to stop by, say hello and enter your name for a chance to win. If you’ve worked with us in the past, you know we can provide many ideas and much information in two hours. Plus, we have many new completed projects to show you that might spark some new ideas for you and your home.

The Expo is at Bridgewater School (click here for directions) and is FREE! The hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with plenty of parking on the south side.

I’ve been reading about and researching the Passive House standard lately, and came across a good article on the topic through BuildingGreen.com.

Passive House was launched from Germany under one basic premise: Invest in the building’s envelope to save energy. Through an air-tight, highly insulated building shell, heat transfer is dramatically reduced, requiring less energy to heat and cool the space. Ideally, the envelope’s high performance would offset the need for a large central heating/cooling appliance and that savings would offset the higher cost of increase wall thickness, added insulation, and imported windows and doors. Cooling would be provided through ventilation and supplemental heat could be added to the incoming fresh air when needed. It is a compelling argument for low-energy homes.

One question in my mind is about our severely cold winters in Minnesota. Is it cost effective to avoid a heat plant? There are decreasing returns on efficiency with extreme insulation and with the continuous use of fresh air for ventilation, outside temperature has a larger impact. How does an architect strike a balance and still meet the criteria?

The article suggests that Germany and Minnesota are not equal and may require different standards, whether the Passive House Institute agrees or not. In the end, the goal is low energy, sustainable housing. Passive House is a leader in promoting low-energy homes, but the jury is still out for it’s widespread use in Minnesota.

We look forward to our first chance to embrace and test the Passive House standard.

We’ve put a free questionnaire on our site as a preliminary project tool for home owners. It’s called, “Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Residential Project.” There are three sections: the wishes, the reality, and the difficult questions. We encourage everyone who will be involved with the home to review these and discuss them. It will help you narrow down your desires and give you homework to do on topics you may not have considered. Home construction, whether remodeling or new, and design work can take considerable resources of time and money so you want to be as prepared as you can. We will gladly help you find some of the answers, and we’ll ask you more.

Read it over and contact us to help you wade through the decisions you need to make.