Lake Calhoun

What Caught Our Eye

• Eclectic Style. Leaving their longtime Lake of the Isles home presented a bit of a challenge for Alexander and Peterssen, who had amassed rooms full of books and art. “Lars and I have been together so long, going to Russia and other places, picking up stuff along the way,” Alexander says. “Some of it is of value and some of it is of great sentimental value, and the trick is trying to blend all of that with the architecture of this place.” But family antiques and more modern furnishings blend beautifully. “We like living in an eclectic kind of space,” Peterssen says.
• Walls of Glass. Views feel especially dramatic thanks to almost floor-to-ceiling walls of glass (twelve feet in some spaces). The main architectural firm for the building, Elness Swenson Graham, used Visionwall glass because of its energy-efficiency and sound-control properties. “We’re right over Lake Street, so there’s a huge amount of noise, but this glass helps tremendously,” Peterssen says.
• Sculptural Room Dividers. Horizontal bands of rift-sawn white oak create walls that define the condo spaces. “They’re almost like gigantic cabinets, with sliding doors, the refrigerator, and all sort of other things hidden in them,” Peterssen says. When closed, the doors look like a continuation of the walls. Peterssen credits contractor Gary Michaels for the woodwork’s precise craftsmanship.
• Places for Art. A niche above the built-in buffet displays an oil painting by German impressionist Adolf Schreyer originally owned by Alexander’s great-grandfather, Charles Wacker of Chicago. Too big to hang in one of the couple’s previous houses, they loaned it to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for several years. But they now enjoy it here, hanging on an accent wall papered by designer Andrew Flesher of GunkelmanFlesher. Flesher assisted in choosing many of the finishes and furnishings.
• Kitchen Comfort. Although the kitchen sits near the center of the condo, it enjoys dramatic views through the adjacent living and dining rooms. One of its best features, however, is a simple built-in seat. “We’ve always wanted a place to sit and lounge, so we took a chunk out of one of the oak walls to create a banquette,” Peterssen says. “It’s perfect for hanging out and having a drink while someone’s working in the kitchen.”
• Rooftop Bonus. Each of the building’s three penthouse units features its own copper-and-glass “cube” with access to a small terrace. The rest of the rooftop is filled with low-maintenance plants that will thicken with time. “This kind of green roof prevents storm water from falling off the site,” Peterssen says. “Instead of going into storm drains or directly into the lake, it’s used by the plants on the roof.”