Salmela Architect is a Minnesota-based architecture firm founded in 1994 and led by principals David Salmela, FAIA, and Kai Salmela, AIA. The practice is known for its distinctive architecture that responds to the rugged landscapes of northern Minnesota, balancing modernist precision with material warmth and a deep sensitivity to season, light, and place.
Their portfolio centers primarily on custom residential projects and smaller-scale public works, characterized by thoughtful integration of natural materials, bold geometric volumes, and a clear sense of context. Salmela Architect places emphasis on craftsmanship, experiential spaces, and architectural expression that is both grounded and subtle.
LOCATION: Duluth, Minnesota, USA
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Hyytinen Cabin in Northern Minnesota replaces an old non-insulated structure. From the existing cabin to the new iteration the orientation was shifted from parallel to the lake to perpendicular.
The Lake Superior retreat is sited near Taconite Harbor where the boreal forest meets the exposed bedrock of Lake Superior shoreline. The utmost character of the project reveals the predominance of place.
Projected by Salmela Architect, this family retreat is located on the shore of the Superior lake in Duluth, Minnesota. Realized on an area of 1,280 square feet, the building is bold and it remarks itself through the…
