Road Trip to Clear Lake: Ashera by Tom Olson – Going, Going, Gone! – Open Saturday February 22; Noon-2pm
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Join Docomomo US/MN for for a road trip to Clear Lake, MN to visit Ashera – the personal home of architect Tom Olson and textile artist Merle Sykora. The house is located about an hour northwest from Minneapolis, either via I-94 or US Hwy 10. Transportation is on your own – or with a friend or two! In-Person (self-guided) Tour: Saturday, February 22, 2025; Noon-2pm This is a FREE event, but registration is required! Address will be provided in the Eventbrite registration. See the listing for Ashera here! |
About This House:
Welcome to Ashera, an architectural masterpiece designed by Tom Olson in 1979. Olson, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin from 1950 to 1954, designed Ashera for himself and Merle Sykora, an esteemed art professor and accomplished weaver at St. Cloud State University. For decades, Tom and Merle worked together as architect and interior designer in the St. Cloud area, founding the firm Design Unity, Inc. in 1972. Olson also served as the lead apprentice on Wright’s Fasbender Clinic in Hastings, Minnesota (Olson's hometown).
Carved into a 2.18-acre wooded lot, Ashera is perched high on the river bluff, offering breathtaking views of the Mississippi River through the walls of windows on both levels. The home’s design seamlessly integrates with the natural landscape, creating a tranquil and private retreat.
Carved into a 2.18-acre wooded lot, Ashera is perched high on the river bluff, offering breathtaking views of the Mississippi River through the walls of windows on both levels. The home’s design seamlessly integrates with the natural landscape, creating a tranquil and private retreat.
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The angles and triangular forms in the living spaces in the main house, glazing, large fireplace, and details all show the influences of Olson's time at Taliesin. Vaulted living spaces are defined and open. The living room has a wall of windows providing panoramic views of the woods and river; similar views are in the downstairs studio, as well as a screened deck. The lower level has the studio (with wood stove), second bedroom with bath, and has walkouts to the patio, providing easy access to the outdoors.
The main level features a spacious living/dining area, kitchen, primary bedroom, and a sunroom that can be accessed from both the living room and the primary bedroom. A striking angled brick fireplace anchors the living room, while custom cedar woodwork—highlighted by the vaulted ceiling with intersecting cedar strips—adds warmth and FLW character to the space. The kitchen is designed with bamboo cabinetry, and an office is conveniently located off the kitchen. The property also features a drive-through garage with secure storage and a small workshop area for projects. Adjacent to the garage is a guesthouse. The meticulously designed grounds include a labyrinth for quiet reflection, as well as a ginkgo biloba tree grown from a seedling of the historic ginkgo at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home & Studio in Oak Park, Illinois. The house was featured in a November 14, 1988 article in the St. Cloud Times. |
About Docomomo US/MN Series of Going, Going, Gone! Tours:
Docomomo US/MN seeks to highlight Mid-Century Modern properties across Minnesota as they become available for sale, or may be threatened by demolition. The Going, Going, Gone! series of home tours are pop-up events that attempt to connect sensitive modernist properties with good stewards for the next generation of preservation and adaptation. If you are the owner of a midcentury home , a real estate agent or neighbor of a notable property – please let us know if there is a site that should be included on a future tour, or added to the MN Modern Registry!
