FROM EAST TO MIDWEST:

SKD Architects and MS&I Building Company present Mia, a Minnesota playhouse with a contemporized Japanese flair. Mia will be up for auction along with playhouses by other design teams in March at the Mall of America on March 29, 2008. The sale of Mia and the other playhouses will benefit CommonBond Communities in their mission to provide affordable housing in the Midwest.

Though smaller in scale, this structure is not lacking any of the architectural details or creature comforts found in most of the homes designed by SKD and built by MS&I. This playhouse will be move-in ready for kids with imagination, energy, and ingenuity to burn.

From the outside in, the possibilities for play are limitless. A ship’s ladder leads to a rooftop patio that can easily become a crow’s nest of a pirate ship. A Dutch door turns the entrance into a stage for a puppet show. The undercounter refrigerator, hose-fed faucet with sink, and countertop microwave provide the perfect set for a pint-sized version of a competitive cooking show and has an adjacent built-in eating area. Beneath the clerestory, the floor space is flanked by seating and is just right for playing video games on the wall-mounted flatscreen television, painting a picture, or conducting a club meeting. And, though dreary to think about, the fact that it is an enclosed structure made of all-weather materials means this playhouse is the ideal place to read on a quiet, rainy day.

For adults, the playhouse offers a sophisticated, artful presence and will be constructed with superior materials by top building professionals—all of which are necessary components to consider when adding a structure to a property. The interest and “wow factor” of this piece will provide discussion topics for many dinner parties to come, particularly because of the contemporary Japanese flavor of the house. The dual-pitches and multiple eaves of the roof as well as the interior post-and-beam construction are commonly found in Japanese pagoda architecture. As if entering a tea house, shoji screens are represented by the wooden frames and frosted glass of the window in the front door of the playhouse. Copper rain chains, kusari doi, transform the downspouts into whimsical accessories. The rooftop arch, visually resembling a torii, physically signifies the transition in perspective that occurs when ascending the ladder…from earthbound to bird’s eye.

Specs: This playhouse was constructed using superior methods and materials.  The exterior of the playhouse is both durable and pleasing to the eye with its gold vein powder-coated iron rooftop railing, bluestone ledge cap, custom Mahogany Dutch door and windows, Prairie Style carriage lights, as well as copper accents, rainchains, and planters. The decking, ship’s ladder, and arch are made of Ironwood and the roof is comprised of copper, rubber, and Cedar shake shingles.  Inside, the rough-sawn Oak floor showcases custom Mahogany cabinetry with Lumicor panels and Cambria countertops, a stainless steel sink, a hose-fed faucet, and a miniature refrigerator.  The playhouse is illuminated by recessed and under-cabinet lighting, as well as a ceiling fixture in the clerestory.  A built-in laminate-topped table and seating area is adjacent to the lounge that comes complete with a 20” Sharp AQUOS Liquid Crystal Television with mini-DVD player, and two Jennifer DeLonge Ava toddler chairs with a matching ottoman in chocolate and red microsuede.

Click HERE to view the Playhouse
Photo Gallery!

Click HERE to Learn More About
the Auction or to BID ONLINE!

MS&I and SKD want to thank our fabulous subcontractors and suppliers who donated time, talent, and materials for this project:

Design/Build Team at the MOA: Dan Mulrennan and Tom Smithers (MS&I) on Roof, Andy Lien (MS&I/SKD) and Steven Heili (SKD) Inside, and Steve Kleineman (SKD) on Decking.	Aldo - Copperwork & Rubber Membrane
	JL Rosewood - Cabinetry
	Caprice Doorcraft - Cabinetry
	Youngblood Lumber - Cabinetry
	Nob Hill Hardware (www.nobhillhardware.com)
	Schaitberger Painting
	Designer Iron - Deck & Ladder Railings
	Hossnpat Construction - Framing
	Minneapolis Glass - Window Panels
	American Hardwood Flooring
	Commercial Millwork Solutions (www.commercialmillworksolutions.com) - Custom Door, Posts, and Mahogany Trim
	Allstar Construction - Cedar Shingles
	Cartier Lighting - Wall Sconces & Ceiling Fixture
	Cambria (www.cambriausa.com) - Quartz Countertops
	Enhanced Home Systems (www.ehsystemsinc.com) - Sharp AQUOS Liquid Crystal Television
	Freedom Mechanical - Plumbing
	Patnode Electric
	Rainchains.com
	Minnesota Structures - Finish Carpentry
	Stōnwërk - Stone Cap (www.stonwerk.com)
	Art Holdings