By the way I seemed way more obsessed with the Camouflage House than anyone else which proves my point. Offbeat is subjective.

I’ve been considering this question because the first architects I wanted to use for the new weekly feature is SALA Architects. They aren’t completely wacky so I almost changed my mind. I didn’t however and here’s why. I think SALA is offbeat in a way that still appeals to a broad base. As in offbeat livable. Most of us like to see homes like the Toilet House but come on; is it livable? Would you build a house like it? Likely not.

This is where I’m coming from with SALA. This is a company that builds homes unlike what most of us see in our surrounding neighborhoods — thus offbeat and yet you could see yourself living there. That might be the best kind of offbeat home. Livable, doable, not so odd that three people in the universe might actually move in.

On to this week’s featured architect:

SALA Architects are based in Minnesota; in Minneapolis, Excelsior, and Stillwater. Stillwater, by the way, is a town you have to visit if you happen to be in Minnesota (it’s slick).

SALA builds some really amazing structures and they can work with a green slant if a home buyer wishes. The best thing about SALA is what I mentioned above; SALA architects, for the most part, do not build average homes as in you stop and take another look but their homes aren’t so unaverage that you’d shun them as unlivable. A nice mix.

The Freeman House in River Falls, Wisconsin by Wayne Branum is striking.

This is one of my favorite SALA homes. I love when simplicity can draw you in like this and the home doesn’t overpower the landscape. Also, this home was built on a restricted budget so see… anyone can build beautiful. It is in River Falls which is where my in-laws live so I could never live in this specific home but I’d live in it elsewhere.

Now you really need to go see the last picture of The Freeman House home at the SALA website. The floor in this home is beautiful. However, and here is my SALA complaint; they have one of those wonky architect sites where you can’t bookmark specific pages. That’s a bummer because it makes it hard for me to make it easy for you to visit.

Still, their website is worth visiting. If you like to see the plans for this home visit the SALA Architects website, click on designers, click on Wayne Branum, and it’s the 4th house on his list.

See, now I always wonder why so many amazing architects have poorly designed websites. If I wanted to bookmark home ideas as a buyer I couldn’t do it — it’s not user friendly. However, this isn’t a web design 101 blog so I’ll leave it at that. In spite of the website I really do adore SALA so we’ll take a look at a couple more homes from them this week.

Until then I’m wondering about my original question — what does Offbeat mean to you. Do you only think homes underwater deserve the title? Is an all lavender home with red polka dots offbeat of merely the result of too much beer? Is beauty offbeat? Is small beyond belief or ugly offbeat?

I’m curious what the readers of Offbeat Homes think so let me know. Consider it some market research — just a dabble.

Post from: Blisstree

Featured Architect of the Week: SALA Architects

Me and my imagination. Actually the “Spider Web Chalet” is a uniquely built structure also known as the The Hang Nga Tree House Hotel, Hang Nga Guesthouse & Art Gallery, and The Crazy House (depending upon who you ask).

Dang Viet Nga, daughter of Truong Chinh, former president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam designed this hotel so that guests would feel as if they were staying in a really great fantasy world.

The building itself may look like a real tree but it’s actually made out of cement. There are all kinds of unique touches; a spider web hanging over the pond, a giraffe sculpture in the garden, guest rooms that look as if the seven dwarfs decorated them, and not one window in the place is traditionally round or square.

The best place I’ve found on the web to learn more about this “crazy” house is Travelogues.net.

Click here for many amazingly neat pictures of this funky hotel.

In Offbeat friend news I’d just like to take a second and point out some new compadres. UPworld is a new creative tool for professionals in the real estate and building industries. The site is meant to improve efficiency, productivity, and communication between individuals in the building supply chain. From their site:

“UPworld offers each person that joins a complimentary online profile. More illustrative than a directory listing, these profile pages offer a peek into a person’s portfolio of projects, their skills and expertise, and their business contacts. In addition, people can both post and respond to jobs, professional opportunities, and RFPs. Visitors to UPworld also get access to news and events…

“With 90% of all building projects in the U.S. being built by small architecture, construction, development and interior design firms, there is a clear need in the market for an affordable, easy-to-use, and convenient online networking system,” says Clancy. “UPworld provides project team building and communication services so that players can focus their time on creating quality building projects on-time and on-budget.”

UPworld is currently open to new members so go check them out and see what you think.

Post from: Blisstree

The Spider Web Chalet