Modern Aesthetic

With new construction, an upfront collaboration between architect and landscape architect is key to seamlessly threading the architecture and site together. Coen+Partners partnered with Tim Alt of Altus Architecture+Design. Along the lakeside of the White Bear Lake residence, the progression between the house and the lake is made by incorporating a formal terrace. A pool and spa are “enclosed” by a bluestone patio and a long, rectangular swath of lawn. Massings of grasses and reedlike equisetum (horsetail) soften the transition between terrace and lawn and define the private spaces of the house.

Photo by Peter Bastianelli-Kerze

This time landscape architect Shane Coen of Coen+Partners collaborated with architect David Salmela to design the site of this residence, which is a combination of three structures—a cabin, sauna, and garage.

Photo by Peter Bastianelli-Kerze

The project includes long parallel terraces, pergolas, screens, and a progression of spaces and walks that embrace the linearity of the architecture and ground the structures to the land while maximizing the views of Gull Lake. All the trees on the site were saved, reinforcing the connection between the cabin and the land. Wildflowers are the icing on the cake.

Photo by Peter Bastianelli-Kerze