2023 Home of the Month Look Book

Photos: Jasper Lazor with Gaffer Photography
Butterfly on the Prairie | New Build
The homeowners were ready to downsize, and they wanted
their final home to have age-in-place features, an aesthetic
that wedded wood tones and an industrial feel, and spaces for
entertaining.
The chosen design, which features a butterfly roof with exposed
steel beams to carry the roof panels, nestles into the landscape
and mimics the surrounding prairie. To meet dual goals of
sustainability and minimal maintenance, the design incorporated a high level of insulation, structural insulated
panels (SIPs) were chosen for the walls and roof, and heating was selected based on energy modeling for the site.
To prepare for aging in place, the home has zero-grade transitions at the entrance doors, ADA-compliant doors
and clearances throughout, blocking for future grab bars, and more cabinet space down low (as opposed to above
counters).
Exterior colors and materials incorporate wood, charcoal, and gray tones. In the summer, the white outline of the
roof stands out from the trees beyond. In the winter, the masses of the structure nestle into the snowy prairie. Water
is directed off the roofs to minimal collection points for all the gardens.
hw² design + architecture
hw2design.com • (612) 532-4147
Design team: Andrea Hammel Wollak, AIA; Jon Wollak, RA
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