The Northeast Studio is a compact, 75 square-foot writing shed constructed of Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs). The small studio space is sited between an existing garage and a beloved– though small– Minneapolis home.

The owner is a poet and writer who lived in Japan for 9 years. As a writer, she had some specific requests: a ton of natural light, warm interiors, a deep window jamb for books, and keepsakes from her travels. She lives with her husband who works nights and her adult son who is on the Autism Spectrum. This studio provides her a secluded space to work peacefully, providing independence for each family members’ specific schedule.

The interior face of the SIP structure is a Low-VOC plywood that contributes to the structural system and functions as the interior finish. The exterior pine rainscreen is coated in black pine tar with generous gapping for passive moisture management. The dark exterior provides context and contrast for the plywood interior to feel warm and welcoming while still being an extremely affordable, highly insulative, building system.

At the onset of schematic design, the client desired an entire 3 bedroom Accessory Dwelling Unit which fit all of her needs– except the budget. However, through the design process of an ADU, the office / studio stuck out as the essential program that made the rest of their existing home function better. 

We were determined to make something work and offered to build her studio ourselves.

We installed diamond piers, salvaged windows and doors, and designed the structure to fit these found units. We worked with EPS, a Structurally Insulated Panel fabricator out of Iowa, to deliver the panels and we asked friends to help assemble the structure.