MH House
MH House interior rendering in autumn, view of Lake Superior and Duluth Harbor from the third floor living space.
Copyright COULSON
MH House
MH House material palette.
Copyright COULSON.
MH House
MH House exterior rendering in autumn, view from driveway looking at courtyard, building, and Lake Superior.
Copyright COULSON.
MH House
MH House exterior rendering in autumn, view of copper screen wall and sunrise over Lake Superior.
Copyright COULSON.
MH House
Context plan.
Copyright COULSON.
MH House
Floor plans.
Copyright COULSON.
MH House
MH House interior rendering in autumn, view of Lake Superior, Canal Park, and exterior courtyard from the ground floor office space.
Copyright COULSON.
MH House
MH House exterior rendering in winter looking north.
Copyright COULSON.
MH House
Construction Detail.
Copyright COULSON.
Disappear Retreat dissolves the ecological footprint and provides seamless living with nature. Imagine it is -25˚F on a typical winter morning in northern Minnesota, yet no heating is required. Reducing the heating load by 95% using passive methods is a critical strategy to achieve zero-energy. A minimalist palette and layout keeps the focus on the beautiful surroundings, offering a meditative experience. This model has a built-in bed/sofa with storage, toilet, sink, shower, and refrigerator drawer.
Bagley Classroom
Exterior photo of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Context Plan drawing of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth in the Bagley Nature Area.
Bagley Classroom
Exterior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Floor Plan drawing of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Exterior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Exterior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Interior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Building Sections drawing of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Exterior photographs of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Construction Detail drawings of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Bagley Classroom
Exterior photograph of the Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Pays d'en Haut
Exterior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Exterior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Regional landscape context.
Pays d'en Haut
Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Site Plan drawing of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Pays d'en Haut
Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Upper Floor Plan drawings of Pays d'en Haut before and after renovation.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Pays d'en Haut
Lower Floor Plan drawings of Pays d'en Haut before and after renovation.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Pays d'en Haut
Exterior and Interior Photographs of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Interior Photograph of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Exterior and Interior Photographs of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Exterior, Interior, Material Palette Photographs of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
Bruce Damonte, Photographer.
Canary Grey, Photographer.
Pays d'en Haut
Building Section and Construction Detail drawings of Pays d'en Haut.
Carly Coulson, Architect.
mh house
MH House is an innovative, near-zero energy, suite of glass pavilions in Duluth, Minnesota designed for mixed-use office and residential with expansive views of Lake Superior. It is designed for Passive House certification and LEED Platinum certification.
disappear retreat
Disappear Retreat is a transparent, stargazing, triple-zero building, dissolving the impact on the environment physically and aesthetically. This compact, prefabricated, off-grid dwelling offers an affordable, minimalist lifestyle in resources, cost, and design.
The high-performance enclosure meets the Passive House Standard and will pursue Living Building Challenge certification, the two most rigorous environmental targets in the world. The 83 sqft building requires no active heating or cooling systems and has a peak heating load of just 100 watts (1 light bulb) in the extreme cold of Northern Minnesota. It performs similarly well in cold climates from Seattle to Buffalo and Chicago to Calgary.
This groundbreaking design by the architecture firm COULSON strives for a paradigm shift, inspiring the public and AEC industry that low-tech, sustainable building is attainable now without sacrificing aesthetic freedom.
Prototype construction is underway in Summer 2017 and a multi-city public education tour of the building will follow. Six prototypes will be scattered amongst the boreal forest near Grand Marais, Minnesota. The buildings will undergo testing and monitoring and will form a retreat center providing a non-profit residency program for artistic professionals. Guests will become attune to resource use and the integrated sustenance from the earth and sun and gain creative rejuvenation and inspiration from the landscape.
bagley classroom
The Bagley Outdoor Classroom is the first LEED Platinum Certified and passive house building at the University of Minnesota. The building operates with near-zero energy and waste emissions. It is used as a field station for classes in the Bagley Nature Area in Duluth, Minnesota.
pays d'en haut
Pays d'en Haut is a near-zero energy passive house renovation project in Duluth, Minnesota that meets the EnerPHit requirements of the passive house institute.