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where art means something Steve Kleineman and his firm SKD Architects have kept their staff small on purpose, driving their success through focusing on client relations ships and a severe attention to detail.

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SKDARCHITECTS: where art means something

by Joel Cornell

The founder and principal of SKD Architects, Steve Kleineman, is the kind of guy who walks through a home improvement or furnishing store, looks at the common products or building materials on the shelf, and sees interesting and creative alternate uses.

“I grew up in a real ‘do-it-yourself ’ household,” Kleineman said. “The first home my wife and I owned was a small, one-and-a-half story structure with an unfinished basement. We started renovating it right away and continued to work on it through the years. By the time we moved out, it had taken on an entirely new look and feel. It sold for more than the asking price with multiple buyers. Most people understand the value of good design.

“In a store, we are attracted to good design in every aspect of life. I might study a product and see ways the design could be improved and be less expensive. My workshop at home is like a small hardware store or laboratory, with thousands of bits and pieces of ‘junk’ that I’ll use and reuse to build unique things. That’s the same kind of efficient, sustainable and integrative thinking I OPPOSITE PAGE: Lynch residence, Exterior Rear.

The Lynch residence in Wayzata, Minn. was built to celebrate the warmer months with access to the outdoor recreational areas by way of both the upper and lower levels. This image shows the transparency of the house to the rear, and the outdoor covered living space, where with a push of a button, screens drop down to convert the space to a screen porch. The pool and other landscape features become the focus.

Photo by Jill Greer.

TOP: Lynch residence, Great Room. A play on form and height gives the living area artful movement and a welcoming appeal and is further enhanced by the horizontal highlights of metal and wood detailing. For a more formal appearance to the ambience, integrated wood doors can cover the television, and the fireplace is easily set ablaze. With tall ceilings, rooms can often seem vast and uncomfortable, but staggered levels of ceiling height with lighting, break down what could be an over whelming sense of volume. By starting illumination at a height of nine-foot four inches, and reaching to 15 feet, the area maintains an intimate feeling. Photo by Jim Kruger, LandMark Photography.

BOTTOM: Lynch residence, Kitchen. Carrying through the organic contemporary theme of the home, the kitchen and adjacent hearth room incorporate the four elements. Beyond, the eyecatching effervescent light fixture, the stone details, integrated wood cabinetry and exquisite customdesigned metalwork anchor the space as the heart of the home while also making it a warm gathering space for family and friends. Photo by Jill Greer.

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ABOVE: Described as an oasis, the master bathroom features Walnut custom cabinetry, stone floors, marble countertops and glass-encased steam shower. Design Lighting and plumbing fixtures work with the architectural details to create an aesthetic and soothing spa-like environment.

Photo by Jill Greer.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Residence, Stair Atrium.

The Barry interior stairway is a strong and elegantly expressed elements at the core of the house. The Kalwall skylight reinforces the sculptural shapes and serves as the hub of the spaces that work around it.

Photo by Jill Greer.

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use in my design work every day.”

Kleineman graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1976 at the top of his class, having received the AIA Gold Medal for the Study of Architecture. After his studies, he worked for a larger architecture firm in the MinneapolisSt. Paul area.

“I thought I could become really successful in a large firm like that,” Kleineman said. “But, after about a year working there, I saw just how much personal control is lost when there are too many people involved in decision-making.”

In 1977, at 24 years of age, Kleineman left that firm, started SKD Architects and streamlined the design process. The company started out as a general purpose architecture firm.

Kleineman and his staff worked on everything from government centers and other municipal projects to corporate work, manufacturing and recreational projects. It wasn’t until the mid 1980s that SKD Architects began to concentrate on residential architecture, which is today their defining element.

“Our firm began to move towards residential work for the same reason I founded SKD in the first place,” Kleineman said. “When you’re doing municipal or corporate work, you still have to go through the design process with a designated building committee as the client. You might spend ten minutes with the company’s CEO. However, when you’re working on someone’s home, the experience is far more personal. It typically utilizes more creative skill and consequently is more fulfilling.”

“Our clients tend to pay much more attention

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JD WOODCRAFT JD Woodcraft was created to target high quality projects in both commercial and residential markets. Their shop incorporates some of the best talent and state-of-the-art CNC equipment in the industry. These assets, coupled with an innovative approach, have positioned JD Woodcraft to provide premium custom cabinetry, furniture and architectural millwork to meet the demands and challenges from the Design/Build and Architectural community. Pictured are several recent projects, including one completed with SKD Architects. They reflect a dynamic process that combines great design and engineering, fine materials, quality craftsmanship and finishing. Visit JD Woodcraft’s online gallery at www.jdwoodcraft.com for examples of their work.

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to the aesthetics and detail in their home. The result is more unique work that reflects their distinct personality. In business, functionality is important and creative design can be a nice touch, but decisions that are solely based on economics can lead to boring work. Architecture can be something that nourishes our senses gives the owner a feeling of elation through visual and physical excitement. As creative architects, we are able to bring that excitement to life on a daily basis for our clients”.

Once SKD Architects started to delve into the residential market, their business spread throughout that sector like wildfire.

“What would be a ten minute visit with a CEO on a commercial project could be an all day meeting in my office on that CEO’s residence,” Kleineman said. “As I get to know the client better on a personal level, they understand my skills, and I would get hired for their commercial projects, too. It has been a great benefit specializing in upper scale residential work. Get to know the client well, and all types of architectural projects could come from that relationship.”

The design process for SKD Architects starts with site selection. Whether the client is looking to be on a lake or a hill or in the woods, Kleineman and his staff work with the client to determine the ideal location for the structure. They attend to every detail, integrating all physical structures, feature elements, and circulation throughout the property. Their projects are at once functional and artistic. The natural environment becomes an integral part of the architecture, not just the foundation for it. SKD’s commercial architecture

ABOVE: Miller residence, Exterior Front. The Millers in Wayzata, MN wanted a contemporary and rich waterfront environment to live in, which is not to be understated. They appreciate the finer things and take notice of the details, but also wanted to want feel like they are always on vacation while home. Photo by Karen Melvin.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Miller residence, Interior. The large kitchen and family room area is all about the view of the lake and accommodating larger groups of people at the core of their living space.

This contemporary home shows our attention to detail, and offers clean artistic design elements.

The fireplace separates the functions and a large aquarium is prominently displayed. The kitchen island is 14’ long and artfully detailed, as well.

Photo by Karen Melvin.

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OPPOSITE PAGE: Pelican Clubhouse. The Clubhouse is one of the support structures on this northern Minnesota property. It is used as a business retreat.

Pelican Clubhouse Interior.

The interiors reflect a more formal, elegant and very permanent and eclectic structure. This view shows the entry foyer and stair and walkway to the master.

The materials show what elegant lake living can be like. Columns are carved from solid stone. The stone stairway looks like it is floating. The rails and timeless decorating shows off the sophisticated décor.

Photo by SKD Architects.

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reflects those same values, but priorities vary as the clients invest different levels of interest in their projects.

“Our projects reflect and display a real attention to detail,” Kleineman said, “that rewards those clients who invest their interest in the process and the project.”

Originally, SKD Architects’ work had focused in the Minneapolis St. Paul area and the surrounding region. But, as their growing success spread through the architectural media, both in print and online, SKD has been spreading their style and mode from coast to coast.

“Our clients have an incredible interest in a wide variety of architectural styles,” Kleineman said, “and we work hard to create unique architecture at a variety of different levels. The residential work we are known for tends to reflect and reinterpret similar concepts or elements of Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie aesthetic, and with a calming Asian influence.

Studying at the University of Minnesota the school of architecture in the 1970’s with Ralph Rapson, then the dean of the college, was a formative experience for Kleineman. It was there that he developed the creative tools and methodology to solve any problem creatively and with an artistic mindset. At the time, their curriculum for architecture was just behind that of Harvard and M.I.T., all known for producing a strong caliber of design architects.

“In other parts of the country like in New Jersey, for example, you tend to see a lot of brick, and shingle style Cape Cod homes,” Kleineman said.

“Out west, we see more timber structures; and in the southwest, stucco and adobe. When SKD comes to these other regions, we can show our clients a new and different aesthetic. It might be the way we stretch a home wider, accentuate the structure with deep overhangs and shadows, make a bold statement with glass, or create a lower, sleek look. Every project we do is uniquely tailored to each client based on the site, their dreams and their vision.

“We are fortunate that Minneapolis is such a great city to work in. It has a strong sense of and appreciation for good architecture,” Kleineman said. “Also, we live in a challenging climate. In Minnesota, we can go from dry and very cold temperatures below zero, to humid and very hot in the high 90’s. As a result, our building materials and details have to address and endure extreme conditions. There can be issues of condensation damaging walls, moisture intrusion and mold, and building movement with freeze and thaw issues associated with winter construction. If we want a lot of glass,

BRIARWOOD II CONSTRUCTION Mark Larson is the owner, general contractor, and foreman of Briarwood II Construction, LLC. He works with the customer from start to finish on custom made homes, specializing in luxury vacation homes. Briarwood II Construction uses the latest innovations mixed with tried and true building practices, ensuring a high quality oneof-a-kind building experience. For more information, please call 715-236-7761.

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RIGHT: Dachis residence. This is a view of the front entry of the Dachis residence in Deephaven, Minn. Even though it was built over a decade ago, it hasn’t lost an ounce of contemporary appeal. The home stands two stories tall, yet appears to be only one level from the exterior. Large, elegantly stretched windows and an oversized entrance help create this look. Stone and stucco make up the outside; a protective entrance extends 14 feet to accommodate arrivals during the often-snowy months of the winter. The house opens to the expansive view through to Lake Minnetonka. Photo by Saari and Forrai.

we have to think about energy consumption, and address sustainability which is important to all projects everywhere. By designing with the environment always in mind, we have developed a high level of knowledge and discipline in a variety of design styles, so we understand and focus on what’s behind the walls as much as we focus on what the walls look like.”

Recently, SKD completed a remodeling job that was quite unique. They worked with the Live Green, Live Smart Institute to develop “The Sustainable House”. Kleineman served as the architect on what would become the very first LEED Platinum Certified residential remodeling project in the nation. Additionally, the house has also become the first LEED Platinum Certified residence in any class in Minnesota.

Currently, efficiently utilizing a relatively small staff, Kleineman has managed to keep a tight control on every single project that comes through his office. Whether it’s a multimillion dollar home or a minor deck remodeling, Kleine-

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man remains intricately involved on each and every job. He has limited the overall growth of the company so that he can remain deeply and personally involved with each project and client.

“Working mainly in the upper bracket residential market,” Kleineman said, “I’ve found that clients tend to want to go for bigger, pricier,

newer, etc. However, size and expense does not often translate into a better or stronger project architecturally. By working closely and on a personal level with the client, it’s easy to use our experience and expertise to translate the exact vision our clients want. We will nourish their senses.” ALT

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