Perched on a rock ledge overlooking Lake Superior, this 1947 cabin was a remnant of a less lavish time when going "up north" was a simpler and more rustic adventure. In designing a renovation, we extended the modest existing cabin by a mere three feet. Winner of an AIA Top Ten Green Building Award, this project continues to be a pioneering model for cold climate, net-zero energy design. Energy needs are met onsite by photovoltaics and a wind generator.

This cabin shows how both green design and placed-based design are not about expensive technologies. This kind of careful design is about understanding the history and character of where you are, building with local materials, and using fresh air and daylight to shape space.