The couple that came to us to design this cutting edge home were still fully mobile—though they didn’t know for how much longer. They wanted a place that suited their current ability but that could become more accessible as needs changed. And then they figured if they could do something just right on one side of the lot, they might as well double the fun on the flip side.
Project Highlights
Typologies: New Construction - Residential - Multi-Family - Age-In-Place - Sustainable Design
Size: 6,500 sq. ft.
Location: Edina, MN
Timeline: Completed 2018
Project Collaborators
Building Assets Construction (General Contractor)
Civil Site Group (Civil Engineering)
Van Neste Surveying (Surveying)
Bunkers + Associates (Structural Engineering)
Sunnyside Gardens (Landscaping)
CSD Custom Woodworks (Cabinetry)
It’s a Beautiful Place to Call Home, Let’s Make Two
Squeezing a deluxe age-in-place duplex on this narrow Edina property was no small feat. It took an arsenal of architectural tools to check every box on our client’s wish list. Among our bag of tricks were a tuck-under garage with parking for four; an efficient wood winder stair wrapping around a stone fireplace; a side patio in the mid-riff of the floor plan to win us a bonus outdoor space; and an 8’x8’ cabinetry cube housing (deep breath) powder room, washer, dryer, pantry, beverage cart, mud room, book case, and broom closet.
And then there was the panoply of accessibility measures seamlessly incorporated in the condensed layout. A shower that could be easily enlarged for a curbless wheelchair-friendly stall. A serpentine front walkway that doubled as an accessible ramp—cleverly camouflaged by native plantings. A bathroom vanity whose under-sink cabinet could be removed. A machine-room-less elevator. A basement studio for live-in help when old age entailed it. We tried to think of all future needs without burdening the present desire for luxury living.
Overlaid on all of the above was a Nordic design sensibility that informed much of the look and feel. From the cross-shaped french windows to the streamlined minimalism, from the woodsy award-winning cabinetry to the Scandinavian Blue for the front doors, this dual home became an homage to the heritage of the owners.
