I Edgewater Loft Minneapolis, MN
The clients purchased a raw shell in a contemporary condominium and commissioned the architects to design a space that was clean, minimal, and warm with elements of a rough, industrial loft. Challenged to create both private and public areas within the rectangular space, the team of architects and designers used the art of conceal and reveal to plan and program the space. To bring light deep into the rectangular space, the architects eschewed full-height walls in favor of blackened steel shelves and dividers made of acid-etched glass. To create optimum functionality, every cubic inch of available space was programmed. Along the two long walls of the shell, glossy, enameled white cabinetry encloses the television, the clients’ wine collection, the refrigerator, a home office, and storage space. In the master suite, custom cabinetry and a generous closet provide additional storage. Working closely with an interior designer, the architecture team brought warmth and character to the space with a dramatic wall of wood reclaimed from the depths of the St. Lawrence Seaway, floors made of hand-scraped European oak, extraordinary handmade tiles, exquisite wallpaper, and other masterful touches. Finished with the couple’s art and furniture, the space is a unique and personal reflection of the couple’s distinctive style.
EDGEWATER LOFT
ENTRY HALL
The main design move was separating the public from the private areas of the space. The unit had windows on the south and west sides, and we positioned the private spaces along the south divided from the public with a wall clad in 100 old reclaimed oak from the bottom of the St. Lawrence Seaway that features a unique patina due to the decades submerged in the freshwater. The texture and linearity of the oak draws you down the corridor from the entrance past the service spaces to the dining room, kitchen, and living room beyond. Niches are carved into this wall at various places to add depth and function to the wall. To allow light from the south into the main hall, the oak wall is only 8’ tall with a continuous transom window for acoustic privacy above. To further illuminate the entry, the shower has a translucent panel to allow natural light from the south deep in to the home. The oak wall forms the major separation between the spaces.
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1 ENTRY 2 POWDER ROOM 3 MUDROOM 4 LAUNDRY 5 GUEST BEDROOM 6 GUEST BATH 7 GUEST CLOSET 8 HALL 9 DINING ROOM 10 OFFICE 11 KITCHEN 12 LIVING ROOM 13 SITTING ROOM 14 MASTER BEDROOM 15 MASTER CLOSET 16 MASTER BATH 17 MASTER SHOWER 18 TERRACE
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POWDER ROOM
To ensure that the central oak wall is the main feature of the space, the north and south walls are minimal white cabinetry to provide storage while not competing with the texture and color of the oak. While minimally detailed, these cabinets too contain secrets. A moving wall in the dining room hides a small office, and panels close to hide televisions. All of this was intended to add flexibility to the space, and allow spaces and functions to overlap.
HIDDEN OFFICE ADJACENT TO DINING ROOM
VIEW TOWARDS LAKE
Challenged by the rectangular, 2,000-sq. ft. shell, the team of architects and designers created the kitchen to divide, yet still reference, the living room and dining area. To allow the kitchen to stand alone as its own space, the team used materials—not walls—to define the area. Conceiving of the kitchen as a solid piece of oak reclaimed from the depths of the St. Lawrence Seaway, a material used to define and divide spaces in other parts of the condo, the team “carved” away the wood to create the kitchen space, “cut it off” to create countertops, and “pulled it apart” to reveal white drawer-fronts to match custom cabinetry. To keep the space open and illuminated by light from the nearby urban lake, the designers created a pair of islands, each with its own character that reflects the adjacent spaces. The island that faces the living room features a low, sushi-style bar that creates separation without obstructing the lake views. The island that faces the kitchen features shelving and an extra-deep counter that serves as a buffet. Industrial-style steel shelving with doubled standards defines the back of the kitchen while still allowing maximum transparency to the dining room beyond. A small counter provides additional workspace while cabinetry on the north wall houses and conceals appliances and further unites the living room, kitchen, and dining room. By meeting and exceeding every expectation, the team created a kitchen as distinctive and stylish as the clients.
ISLAND ELEVATION NORTH
KITCHEN ELEVATION NORTH
KITCHEN
READING NOOK
At the end of the oak wall a three sided fireplace clad in vein cut marble divides the living room from the sitting room. Two steps up lead to the master suite. The bedroom had niches carved into the oak wall for night tables and features wallpaper that gives the feeling of windows looking into a forest. At the end of the master hall a floating vanity sits in a field of leaf shaped glass tile. This adds another texture and allusion to the natural world.
SITTING ROOM HEARTH
MASTER BEDROOM
MASTER SUITE
MASTER BATH