The Skylark Home

Design & Construction

Architect David Salmela is known for his artful marriage of modernist and traditional Scandinavian forms. Salmela is one of Minnesota's most awarded architects, having received 16 national awards since 1985, including two prestigious American Institute of Architects Honor Awards in 2005. The 2005 awards included one for the unusual Emerson sauna, and one for the Jackson Meadows development near Marine on St. Croix.

For online photos of Salmela's projects, see the following site: http://www.salmelaarchitect.com/

Although Salmela's work has been internationally recognized and discussed, most of his designs have been built in Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. His projects include residences and cabins, farmsteads, town halls, libraries, residential developments, the Gooseberry Falls State Park Visitors Center, and the Wild Rice Restaurant in Bayfield, Wisconsin.

Thomas Fisher, dean of the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of Minnesota, has written a splendid book entitled Salmela Architect (2005), which describes the evolution of Salmela's work, his influences, and the sensitivity he employs in adapting form to natural and cultural environments. The book is brilliantly illustrated by architectural photographer Peter Bastianelli-Kerze, whose photographs achieve an astonishing clarity and depth of perspective. Salmela Architect is essential reading (and viewing) for anyone seeking an introduction to David Salmela's work and guiding principles.

The owners of Skylark, Tom and Stephanie Koehler, contacted Salmela after talking with a neighbor's son who had apprenticed with the architect. They were excited by Salmela's work after viewing his projects, including Ravenwood, photographer Jim Brandenburg's home/studio on the border of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. They wanted to employ Brad and Curt Holmes, Ravenwood's builders, and were willing to wait until the award-winning pair were available.

Site preparation and foundation work began in 1998, and construction was completed in 2001. Most of the contractors had worked with Salmela before and were familiar with his requirements. As usual, the architect relied on Brad Holmes to supervise the project and ensure the highest standard of craftsmanship.

During a period of about a year, Brad and Curt used the mechanical building as an apartment, sleeping on cots. They were truly "married" to the project, working 12 hour days, 4 days a week, and returning to their homes for long weekends. The Koehlers report that the Holmes brothers were expert and efficient builders who often added their own artistic touches to the work. They worked quickly and avoided unnecessary interruptions.

During construction, costs soared considerably higher than Brad's original estimate, largely because the owners embraced the architect's vision and chose expensive design alternatives and first quality materials at each stage. The result is a home unlikely to be duplicated, whose beauty and elegance compliments the natural beauty of its site.