From 100% home renovation to modern cabin construction, the homes in this year’s House of the Month competition were unique and diverse.
Twelve winning projects were selected by members of the AIA Minnesota (American Institute of Architects). Starting in June, we’ll be showing these homes in the Star Tribune.
Homeowners and architects will guide us through their projects, and there will also be plenty of images to inspire you when you dream of building or remodeling your own.
Stories will run in the Homes section on the first Sunday of every month and on startribune.com.
For a sneak peek at 12 upcoming projects, head over to H6.
1. The middle of the primary period
design team: David O’Brien Wagner, Marta Snow, SALA Architects
The careful renovation of this 1963 Minneapolis home off West River Parkway met the modern needs of the owners while complementing the architect’s original mid-century modern design. Light, shape, color and texture came into play when creating this wonderful family home. Details such as a two-story ceramic installation by a local artist located next to a floor-to-ceiling light-filled window speak to the meticulous care of this mid-century home.
2. Park Nest
design team: Brian Anderson, Marta Snow, Jessica Wilder; SALA . Architects
This 1940s suburban walk underwent a 100% renovation with only 216 square feet added for the screen porch and storage shed. Louis Park’s ambitious remodel resulted in a house that improves circulation, is energy efficient and provides open lines of sight between gathering spaces.
3. SLIP ‘N SLIDE
design team: Ben Uwais, Nate Dodge, CityDeskStudio
This divided home from Edina needed extra daylight and more connection to the outdoors. The renovation included three box-back additions in order to reimagine or extend the main spaces: a screen porch, a master bedroom, and an en suite bathroom. And for a young family with two active girls, a simple staircase at the exit from the back door into the courtyard will not suffice. Instead, the slide is the ideal method of transportation.
4. PIED-A-LAC
design team: Brian Anderson, Marta Snow, Sala Architects
When a family traded their massive suburban excavation in the 1980s, overlooking Bde Maka Ska, they wanted to open up sight lines, bring in more natural light and soften the industrial aesthetic. The SALA team has not only accomplished that, but they have also reduced their carbon footprint wherever possible through reuse or recycling design choices.
5. Linden Hills Renovation
design team: Todd Hansen, Jim Kuipers, Paul Harms, and Albertson Hansen Architecture
The owners needed to remodel and add space to their 1901 southwest Minneapolis home, but they wanted to respect the home’s historic charm. The existing footprint was reconfigured and an addition to the rear provided much-needed space. The original details have been preserved or reinterpreted while leaving the same facade that has adorned the neighborhood for over 100 years.
6. Red Cedar Lake House
design team: Richard C. Lundin II, Mike Bader, Lundin Architects
New Wisconsin modern cabins connect homeowners with the surrounding landscape while creating private gathering and private spaces. The lakeside landscape offers several options for recreation, from a courtyard and walking path to a hidden pier and volleyball court.
7. I-Land in White Oaks Savannah
design team: Christopher Strom, Eric Johnson, Elizabeth Ackerman, Christopher Strom Architects
Located in an open Savannah area in a new development near Stillwater, scale, color and proportion have been used to enlarge all four sides of the house for 360-degree views. The placement and design of the windows offer both close and far-reaching views, including the owners suite which overlooks a 200-year-old oak tree.
8. North Beach Overview
design team: Todd Hansen, Ian McClellan, Abby Seba, Sarah Hughes, and Albertson Hansen Architecture
In keeping with nature, this new cabin with panoramic views of Lake Superior has been carefully designed to match the bedrock topography. At the same time, exposed steel and dark window coverings contrast with the cabin’s wood tones for a modern, rustic, industrial look.
9. Countryside
design team: Mark Larson, Laurel Johnston, Ryan Peske, Rickamp Larson Architects
Located in drift-free Wisconsin, this country retreat uses durable, raw materials, from Corten steel to salvaged siding. Personal elements, from a road bike used as art to a side pantry for organic cooking, are carefully incorporated into this new design.
10. Stitch in time
design team: Ben Uwais, Chris Bach, CityDeskStudio
There was no room in this curvy 1989 Golden Valley home in the typical square or rectangular shape, save for the enclosed kitchen. The renovated kitchen was the common thread to tie the adjoining often triangular rooms together. An updated and open kitchen can now accommodate this family of four who love to cook.
11. Parkway Update
design team: Paul Neseth, Wayne Welland, Maria Major, Architecture Center
Many of the homes in the historic Lake Harriet Farmstead neighborhood were originally small cabins that have been moved to compact urban lots. When a young family needed space to grow, they hired a team to perform a “radical makeover,” but proportional to the size of a Minneapolis neighborhood. Design choices such as natural materials and bungalow elements made a big impact while maintaining the compact footprint of the property.
12. Blue Note
design team: David O’Brien Wagner, SALA Architects
The architect and homeowner renovated his family of five’s St. Paul home, once considered the “Ugly Duckling” in a row of charming cottages. The multi-stage project transformed the spaces, opened the floor plan, expanded the second level and improved energy efficiency. The furnished balcony update expanded the family’s living space and better connected it to their garden and outdoor living space.