Beside the lake

Modern architecture is not just about inside spaces and aesthetics it's also about making a connection with the natural landscape. And it was this connection that influenced the design of this new lakeside house, which sits on a beautiful wooded lot.

The owners, who already had a home on the lot, commissioned Charles R Stinson Architects to design their new home. It was an appropriate choice the Minnesota firm is renowned for modern, light-filled homes that have strong links to the natural environment.

Charles Stinson says the couple wanted an understated, yet unique and welcoming home that would provide a mix of large and more intimate living spaces. Not surprisingly, the architect took his cue from nature, balancing extensive glazing with solid stone elements that help to anchor the home to the landscape.

"The home feels grounded by the natural stone forms and the human scale of the spaces within, yet the large windows and soaring overhangs evoke a feeling of floating above the lake," Stinson says.

A flat roof with bold horizontal lines helps to counter the strong vertical presence of the trees, and the stone columns that pierce through the roof creating a composition of horizontal and vertical planes.

Stinson says each material, from the copper roof edge to the cedar ceilings, anigre walls and stone fin walls, has its own energy, and had to be balanced within the context of the entire home.

CRS Interiors was commissioned to carry out the interior design the firm has a deep understanding of Stinson's architecture, and was able to preserve the essence of the design.

"With its mix of art, built-in furniture and accessories, the home is reminiscent of a finely crafted sailboat," says the architect. "This reinforces the sense that the house is floating above the lake below."

Stinson says the final result is also a credit to the construction team, Streeter & Associates, and the landscape architect, Coen + Partners.

For more details, contact Charles R Stinson Architects, phone (952) 473 9503. Or visit the website: www.charlesrstinson.com.

Story by: Trendsideas