Sarah Susanka
Encyclopedia
Sarah Susanka, FAIA is an English-born American
-based architect
, an author
of nine best-selling books, and a public speaker. Susanka is the originator of the "Not So Big" philosophy of residential architecture
, which aims to "build better, not bigger." Susanka has been credited to have initiated the small house movement
.
, Kent
, England
and now resides in North Carolina
. After graduating from the University of Oregon
, she settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota
. She pursued a masters degree in architecture from the University of Minnesota
while working for several architecture firms. Her thesis was the basis of her "Not So Big" books. She was a founding partner, along with her thesis advisor, of the Minneapolis-based residential architecture firm, Mulfinger, Susanka, Mahady & Partners (now known as SALA Architects) before leaving to pursue her writing and speaking career full-time. Her company is Susanka Studios.
She has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Charlie Rose Show, and NPR's Diane Rehm Show, and her philosophies have appeared in various publications such as USA Today
and The Wall Street Journal.
Susanka was named “one of 18 innovators in American culture” by U.S. News and World Report in 1998. In 2004 Builder Magazine ranked her as #14 out of 50 "Power Brokers". She appeared on the “Environmental Power List” in Organic Style magazine that same year. In 2007, she received the Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Award, and award given periodically to recognize "outstanding individual achievement, a spirit of initiative, and work that exemplifies great dedication toward making positive contributions to our world".
She is a registered architect and certified interior designer as well as a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects
and a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based architect
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, an author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of nine best-selling books, and a public speaker. Susanka is the originator of the "Not So Big" philosophy of residential architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, which aims to "build better, not bigger." Susanka has been credited to have initiated the small house movement
Small house movement
The small house movement is a popular description for the architectural and social movement that advocates living in small homes. It is particularly vocal in the USA, where the book The Not So Big House is credited with starting the backlash against supersized homes.-Background:While in developed...
.
Biography
Susanka was born March 21, 1957, KnockholtKnockholt
Knockholt is a village and civil parish in Kent, England, lying approximately 5 miles south of Orpington and 3 miles northwest of Sevenoaks. It is part of the Sevenoaks district and according to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,166...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and now resides in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. After graduating from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
, she settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. She pursued a masters degree in architecture from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
while working for several architecture firms. Her thesis was the basis of her "Not So Big" books. She was a founding partner, along with her thesis advisor, of the Minneapolis-based residential architecture firm, Mulfinger, Susanka, Mahady & Partners (now known as SALA Architects) before leaving to pursue her writing and speaking career full-time. Her company is Susanka Studios.
She has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Charlie Rose Show, and NPR's Diane Rehm Show, and her philosophies have appeared in various publications such as USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
and The Wall Street Journal.
Susanka was named “one of 18 innovators in American culture” by U.S. News and World Report in 1998. In 2004 Builder Magazine ranked her as #14 out of 50 "Power Brokers". She appeared on the “Environmental Power List” in Organic Style magazine that same year. In 2007, she received the Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Anne Morrow Lindbergh was an American author, aviator, and the spouse of fellow aviator Charles Lindbergh.She was an acclaimed author whose books and articles spanned the genres of poetry to non-fiction, touching upon topics as diverse as youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and...
Award, and award given periodically to recognize "outstanding individual achievement, a spirit of initiative, and work that exemplifies great dedication toward making positive contributions to our world".
She is a registered architect and certified interior designer as well as a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
and a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council
Design Futures Council
The Design Futures Council is an interdisciplinary network of design, product, and construction leaders exploring global trends, challenges, and opportunities to advance innovation and shape the future of the industry and environment...
.
Books
The basic philosophy of quality over quantity, or "build better, not bigger," is described in great detail in Susanka's first book, The Not So Big House, which discloses her conceptual principles, and in seven of her following books, including Creating the Not So Big House, Not So Big Solutions for Your Home, Home By Design, Inside the Not So Big House, Outside the Not So Big House, Not So Big Remodeling, and More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home. She expands on her philosophy into how we live our lives in her seventh book, The Not So Big Life, focusing on "quality, not quantity" of time and life experience.External links
- The Not So Big House
- About Sarah Susanka (official web site)
- The Not So Big Life
- Video of Sarah Susanka talking about her Not So Big philosophy