ABSTRACT
David Salmela designed the Wild Rice Retreat in Bayfield, Wisconsin, located in a powerful vortex of energy between land and water: the power of Lake Superior, the brownstone geology, and the density of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to the south. The buildings of the retreat are lifted off the ground, reflecting a lightness rather than heaviness that respects the earth's surface. The entire development is pulled in tightly – impacting only 17 of the 114 acres. Both the buildings and the operations infrastructure are designed to touch as little of the site as possible to protect natural land. In the RicePods and Nests, a three-foot cube plywood-lined lantern artfully brings abundant daylight, from the Velux skylights above, deep into the space. Large square windows bring in additional light, natural ventilation, and provide views of the nearby trees. While the overall design is modern, it also references the traditional forms familiar to the immigrant culture of the place.
