14 June, 2010

The Blue Zones at the ASID Showcase House

By LuAnne Silvia
I felt an immediate sense of peaceful uplifting energy as I stepped onto the front porch. There were plenty of people milling about through the home on the last day of the tour and yet the overwhelming sense of space was quiet, calm, confident. We were there to see the home designed around the homeowner's principles of living longer. One of two ASID Showcase Homes this year, this Lake of the Isles home has an interesting and inspiring story of it's own to tell.
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Previously owned by architect Lars Peterssen it had been recently renovated with several improvements. The homes location appealed to the current owner, Dan Buettner's adventurous spirit with it's commanding views of the water and proximity to nature. He had called upon Peterssen to design a master suite to further take advantage of the view. It ended up being good timing for the ASID showcase house. So back to living longer... Buettner is a world record holder for endurance bicycling and explorer reporter for National Geographic, author and television personality. His travels to discover what common threads are behind cultures with the longest life expectancy led him to share his findings in The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. This is more than a theory, it is a lifestyle. One that Buettner has adopted and requested that the principles of his Power 9 habits be incoporated into the design of each space in his home. The ASID designers answered his challenge and the result speaks for itself: from the moment you approach the home from the front walk to the last step you climb to reach the third floor tells the life journey of the occupants. It is a supportive environment to nourish the soul.
Buettner's Power 9 Habits as outlined in his book: