Lake Superior Residence

Custom Cabin, New Build | Northern Minnesota | Award: AIA MN and Star Tribune Home of the Month

A family of five traded in both their in-town home and lake cabin to create a new year-roundresidence in the woods overlooking Lake Superior.  The goal was to combine the character of a retreat with the requirements of a home.

The challenge was creating the desired space – four bedrooms, four baths, and a large woodshop – while maintaining the smaller scale of a cabin. The design employs steeply sloped gables and nestled dormers on the upper level to conceal square footage. The entry-side is enlivened with a rhythm of timber columns, and an open breezeway reduces the house bulk. Glass walls gather southwest light deep into the house and form an inviting corner to the entry courtyard.   

Douglas Fir timbers, harvested from standing-dead trees, bring the strength and warmth of the forest to the home.  Window-pane details, patterned cedar shingles, and profiled rafter tails create texture, depth, and rhythm that fits comfortably within the woods without becoming a traditional cabin.  Walls, terraces and columns are anchored solidly to the site with a locally sourced stone.