Uppfinna is a Duluth-based design and build practice rooted in permaculture; including landscape design, natural building, and real-world demonstrations of skills and methods. Uppfinna means “to create” in Swedish, reflecting my Scandinavian heritage and roots in northern Minnesota. My work is guided by the three core ethics of permaculture: Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share/Return of Surplus.
Most of what I do lives at the intersection of creativity, ecology, and practical problem-solving. I design landscapes and structures that are meant to live in harmony with the earth and invite people into a closer relationship with each other. That might look like methods to manage on-site water, a cold-climate food forest, straw-bale & hempcrete structures, or a simple system that helps a site function better with fewer inputs.
I’m interested in creativity not as a product, but as a practice; passions rooted in skill, observation, and care. Sharing that knowledge and helping others feel more capable in their own environments is also a central part of my mission.
Whether you’re planting a single fruit tree or designing an entire off-grid homestead, it’s all a way of living more intentionally, reducing waste, and cultivating abundance for the people and places you care about.