BIO

Principal: Scott J. Newland. Born in Duluth, Minnesota. Married, with 2 children.

Education:  B. Arch. with High Distinction, University of Minnesota, 1983.  Certificate of Completion, Tianjin University (Tianjin, China, special courses in traditional architecture and landscape architecture), 1981.

Licensed architect in Minnesota since 1985.

Newland Architecture was founded in 1999 with a focus on residential design.  The firm has completed over 175 projects, both residential and commercial.

PHILOSOPHY

More than anything else, I value authenticity and integrity.  I value these qualities in people, and I value them in the world around us.  A lot of our current culture seems to lack these qualities, but I believe that they're worth fighting for.

I try hard to avoid trends.  It's important to me to try to create original, appropriate designs for each client, each unique problem, for each context.  I believe in the Ian Anderson lyric "I'd rather look around me, compose an honest song, 'cos that's the honest measure of my worth."  Measure me by what I create.

I believe in honest pay for honest work.  As a one-person firm, working out of a home office, I have relatively low overhead.  I was raised to be frugal, and to know the satisfaction that comes from hard work.  I am not in architecture to make as much money as possible.  I love designing and taking ideas to reality, and I appreciate a client's satisfaction as much as any income.  I believe that I charge fairly for my services, and provide good value.

Architects have a responsibility to do what we can to help minimize the effects of climate change, and to help build in a way that anticipates the future through adaptability, resiliency, and reliability.  The new home featured on this site, "Sisunkoto"* tries to accomplish this.