Sarah Susanka facts for kids
Sarah Susanka is a famous architect and author who was born in England and now lives in the United States. She is well-known for her "Not So Big" idea, which teaches people to build homes that are better designed and more comfortable, rather than just bigger. Many people say she helped start the "tiny-house movement," which is all about living in smaller, more efficient homes.
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About Sarah Susanka
Early Life and Career
Sarah Susanka was born on March 21, 1957, in a place called Knockholt in England. When she was 14, in 1971, she moved to the United States. She went to the University of Oregon and then settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
While working at different architecture companies, she also studied for her master's degree in architecture at the University of Minnesota. Her ideas for her "Not So Big" books came from her master's project. She later helped start an architecture firm called Mulfinger, Susanka, Mahady & Partners (now called SALA Architects). After a while, she left the firm to focus on writing books and giving talks full-time through her own company, Susanka Studios.
Public Recognition and Awards
Sarah Susanka's ideas became very popular. She has appeared on famous TV shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show and the Charlie Rose Show. Her ideas have also been shared in newspapers like USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.
In 1998, U.S. News & World Report magazine called her "one of 18 innovators in American culture." This means they saw her as someone who brought new and important ideas to the country. In 2004, she was ranked among the top "Power Brokers" by Builder Magazine. That same year, she was also on the "Environmental Power List" in Organic Style magazine.
In 2007, Sarah Susanka received the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award. This special award is given to people who show great effort and make positive contributions to the world. She is also a registered architect and a certified interior designer.
The "Not So Big" Idea
What is "Not So Big"?
Sarah Susanka's main idea is that when we build or remodel homes, we should focus on quality instead of just quantity. This means making spaces that are well-designed, comfortable, and work well for the people living in them, rather than just making them as large as possible. Her philosophy is often summed up as "build better, not bigger."
How Homes Can Feel Bigger
She teaches homeowners, builders, and architects how to make houses feel comfortable and more spacious, even if they are not huge. She uses special design tricks, such as:
- Framed openings: These are doors, windows, or doorways that are designed with special frames or layers around them. This can make a room feel more defined and cozy.
- Spatial layering: This involves creating different levels or zones within a room, which can make a space feel more interesting and larger.
- Visual weight: This is about how different parts of a room feel to your eyes. Using different materials or colors can change how heavy or light a space feels.
- Diagonal views: Designing a house so you can see across rooms or through openings at an angle can make the space feel much more open and connected.
- Variations in ceiling height: Changing the height of ceilings in different areas of a house can make some spots feel cozy and others feel grand, adding variety and interest.
These tools help create a feeling of privacy and comfort, while still keeping different parts of the house connected. Sarah Susanka's work was inspired by the ideas of another architect named Christopher Alexander and his book A Pattern Language.
Books by Sarah Susanka
Sarah Susanka has written many popular books that explain her "Not So Big" philosophy in detail. Her first book, The Not So Big House, introduced her main ideas. She continued to share her principles in other 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
- More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home
She also wrote a book called The Not So Big Life, which applies her "quality, not quantity" idea to how we live our daily lives and experience time.
Personal Life
Sarah Susanka lives in North Carolina. She is a breast cancer survivor.
See also
- Small house movement
- Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
