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Lake Minnetonka Flats
Photography
April 2023
Designed to honor the last remaining edge of Lake Minnetonka, these homes bring softness, light, and flow to a site long constrained by environmental boundaries—balancing the urgency of preservation with the deep, human desire to dwell near water.
Lake Minnetonka Flats sits on a rare and storied site—once a tangled inlet, now the last buildable edge of Lost Lake. It took years of negotiation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for the developer to gain access to the land, and when the opportunity came to design three multi-unit homes there, our role was to help reveal its full potential without overpowering its fragility.
The original schematic plans lacked clarity and coherence—so we reimagined the buildings as quiet extensions of the lakeshore. Each structure holds four single-level condominiums, with expansive verandas and deep sightlines that bring natural light through the entire floorplate. These homes aren’t just about square footage; they’re about rhythm, breeze, and the slow unfolding of water views.
Clad in warm stucco and shaped with seaside restraint, the design draws on the familiarity of cottage life without slipping into nostalgia. Beneath each building, discreet two-car garages allow the upper floors to stay fully devoted to light, air, and view. Lake Minnetonka Flats becomes a gentle joining of ecology and dwelling—where the boundary between home and lake is not fortified, but softened.
