Blair Satterfield (Houston) and Marc Swackhamer (Minneapolis) began their collaboration as architects in Houston, Texas, in 1998. HouMinn (pronounced human) Practice, their present-day moniker, is both an acronym of their current geographical locations and a homophone to describe their research-based practice, which seeks collaboration with experts outside architecture in order to create work that is more rigorous and resonates with a wide audience. Their innovative wall-based systems, such as OSWall, an open source platform; Cloak Wall; and Drape Wall are evolving explorations of this primary architectural element, while projects such as Pore House, Draft House, and Feedback House have tackled issues of sustainability and affordability. These research projects have been featured in numerous publications, including Dwell and Fast Company, and have garnered prestigious honors such the 2008 R&D Award from Architect magazine and the Best in Environments award from ID Magazine.
