Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect

Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 2 of 30Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 3 of 30Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 4 of 30Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 5 of 30Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - More Images+ 25

Grand Marais, United States
More SpecsLess Specs
Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 3 of 30
© Corey Gaffer

Text description provided by the architects. Tre Søstre is located in the village of Grand Marais, Minnesota. The setting is defined by the rugged shore of Lake Superior to the east, a steep hillside sloping up to a prominent ridge line, with a vast boreal forest stretching north to the arctic. The area was first inhabited by the Ojibwa, with French fur traders and Scandinavian fishermen settling the area in the early 20th century. Today the town remains a remote village with an economy based largely on outdoor recreation and tourism enabled by the proximity to Lake Superior and nearly 4 million acre Superior National Forest.

Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 4 of 30
© Corey Gaffer
Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 26 of 30
Sections
Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 21 of 30
© Corey Gaffer

Twenty years ago, the clients purchased the property after completing a five year sailing journey from Duluth to Honduras and back. The property was in a state of disrepair with three severely damaged structures with collapsed roofs. The husband and wife restored the buildings for short-term rentals. They built a fourth structure using traditional timber frame construction as a live-work space for themselves which they call the “boathouse.”

Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 2 of 30
© Corey Gaffer

The site is located a half block from the shore and within a few blocks of an acclaimed folk school. The surrounding neighborhood is a mix of low-rise commercial, single-family residential, and short-term rental. The clients purchased an adjacent vacant lot and hired the architects to design three new units with the goals of prioritizing views and making a bold architectural statement while remaining sensitive to the scale of the neighborhood context. 

Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 29 of 30
Floor plans
Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 27 of 30
Elevations

The three units are located up-slope from the existing structures. Each unit has a modest 16’x 22’footprint with several cantilevered volumes and exterior decks that increase the usable floor area on the upper levels. This strategy was inspired by the “stabbur”—traditional Scandinavian farm buildings used for storing grain. The small footprints minimize disruption to the site, allowing for more productive uses of the landscape such as stormwater infiltration which is critical given the proximity to the lake and the slope of the hill.

Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 5 of 30
© Corey Gaffer

A sod-roofed storage building and carport also contribute. The carport is built into the slope to maintain views for the neighbors to the north. A series of dry-laid retaining walls and poured concrete steps create a terracing effect across the site that define a dynamic sequence of patios, softscapes, and pathways. Spatial configurations and proximities were carefully considered to provide areas of protected privacy and open gathering within a relatively dense cluster. Lower level bedrooms—each with a private patio or deck—lead to an open living space above with 10ft ceilings and unobstructed views to the lake.

Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 6 of 30
© Corey Gaffer

The name is Danish for “Three Sisters,”an homage to the client’s Danish father. In addition to describing the familial grouping of structures stepping up the hill, it also references a tight grouping of three rogue waves, a phenomenon unique to Lake Superior. It perfectly captured the client’s bold aspirations for the project while grounding it squarely within its place.

Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect - Image 9 of 30
© Corey Gaffer

Project gallery

See allShow less

Project location

Address:Grand Marais, Minnesota 55604, United States

Click to open map
Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Tre Søstre Housing / Salmela Architect" 02 Jul 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/920108/tre-sostre-housing-salmela-architect> ISSN 0719-8884

© Corey Gaffer

三姐妹之家,三个不规则波浪致敬航海父亲 / Salmela Architect

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.