Houses come in many shapes, from basic boxes to domes to intricate geometric forms. For Russ and Mary Horsch, the just-right shape for their new home’s floor plan turned out to be the letter H. click here, click here
Each wing of the “Lake>City>House” is one room wide, offering panoramic views of the lake and its bustling parkway. Connecting the two wings is “the bridge,” a glassy, light-drenched center structure that contains the entry, dining room and central walkway. click here, click here
“A lot of the buildings around the lake are very formal; their presence doesn’t speak of welcoming,” Wagner said, while the Horsches’ home’s very structure “welcomes the landscape into the building, like two arms outstretched.” click here, click here
“In the summer time, the porch is wonderful!” Mary enthused. “We have more interaction with neighbors.” click here, click here
They’d lived near Lake of the Isles for more than 30 years, in one of those formal, traditional homes - “a typical south Minneapolis foursquare,” said Mary. “We raised our daughter there, and it was a wonderful house.” Now empty nesters, the couple decided that it was time to move to one-level living because of health issues. But they didn’t want to leave their beloved neighborhood. click here, click here
So they found a midcentury split-level rambler, just a block away from their foursquare. In addition to its prime location facing the lake, it had a magnolia tree in the front yard that Mary had been noticing for years. “It’s the first tree to bloom in spring, with magnificent white flowers,” she said. click here, click here
“We didn’t want a great room; we wanted a separate living and dining room,” Mary said. “I love having large family gatherings, and I like the dining table to be in a separate room. I don’t want the mess of cooking in the same room.” click here, click here
Because of the lot’s soil and drainage requirements, the new home sits on a raised slab, built on pilings, which gives it an elevated vantage point on its bustling lake setting. “The water table dictated where the slab could be,” Wager said. “It meant the main level of the house had to be sitting up out of the ground.” click here, click here
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