David & Kai Salmela: Sense and Sustainability
On recent work, approach to design, and environmental and place-based factors
Hosted by Minnesota Design Center’s Tom Fisher
Sat, Jan 28, 11:30 am
American Swedish Institute
Part of the Climate Solutions Series
Professor Tom Fisher joins architects David and Kai Salmela of Salmela Architect in a conversation on designing sustainable, place-based architecture in the North. An examination of two recent projects—one urban, the other rural—will highlight both commonalities and site-specific approaches within the constraints of the dynamic climate and diverse landscapes of the region.
About the panelists:
David Salmela is a self taught, award-winning architect and designer. Since growing up on a dairy farm in central Minnesota, he has spent nearly 50 years discovering design opportunities within the culture and landscapes of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. David has won over 70 regional, national, and international design awards, including multiple National AIA Honor Awards and the AIA Minnesota Gold Medal. His work is informed by his Scandinavian roots, the dynamic climate of the region, and the critical role of natural light.
Kai Salmela is an architect and designer whose 15 years of transdisciplinary experience in branding, environmental graphics, architecture, and master planning is unified by a deep interest in identity. Kai received his Masters of Architecture from the University of Minnesota and his BFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. In addition to Salmela Architect, he has held positions at Snow Kreilich Architects, VJAA, KPMB, and Pentagram, where his work has been recognized by industry organizations including the AIA, AIGA, and SEGD. Kai's unique background in both spatial design and visual communication has led him to give workshops and lectures at Columbia University, the School of Visual Arts, Oklahoma State University, and University of Minnesota.
Tom Fisher is a Professor in the School of Architecture, the Director of the Minnesota Design Center, and the former Dean of the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. One of the most published authors in his field, he has written 12 books,more than 75 book chapters, and more than 450 journal articles. He chairs the leadership group of the International Geodesign Collaboration, which is a network of more than 200 universities around the world that use GIS as the platform and the SDG’s as the metrics to evaluate various environmental strategies at the sub-national level. His newest book, published by Routledge in April, 2022—Space, Structures and Design in a Post-Pandemic World—addresses the impact that pandemics have had on cities in the past and what impacts we might expect in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.