2023 Home of the Month Look Book

Photos: Shelter Architecture
Lakeside Retreat | New Build
Initially a getaway cabin, this idyllic lake property was
transformed into the family’s year-round home. The architect
situated the program spaces on the property based on
their relationship to the surrounding trees, the lake, and the
approach from the road. Spaces were oriented to connect
to the lake through existing view corridors through the
surrounding trees.
The largest volume and the heart of the home, with living,
kitchen, and dining, feels both grand and welcoming. Its most
striking feature is its custom-engineered steel and its Douglas fir trusses. Interior spaces are connected to the
outdoors through a massive multipanel sliding door that opens onto a large screened porch. A floor-to-ceiling
pocket door separates the light-filled pantry from the open kitchen when desired. The garage wing—a two-story
structure with plywood-clad utility spaces below for a workshop, indoor play area, and boat storage—creates a
visual buffer from the neighboring home. The home utilizes geothermal heating and cooling and strucual insulated
panel (SIP) roof construction. Natural wood tones and handmade tile alongside thoughtful architectural details
and elegant light fixtures create a retreat that blends seamlessly with the ever-changing
canopy of trees just beyond the dwelling’s walls.
Shelter Architecture
shelterarchitecture.com • (612) 870-4081
Design team: Greg Elsner, AIA; Beth Halstenson, AIA; Jackie Colpeart; Jennifer Wojtysiak,
Assoc. AIA; Greg Mackenzie; Jackie Millea, AIA; John Barbour, FAIA; Kurt Gough, Assoc. AIA
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