Inspired by relic French farmhouses in rolling hills where vistas are spectacular, the site for this project was its greatest challenge. Still complete with amazing vistas, the location is a steep peninsula in the St. Louis River about 5 miles from its confluence with Lake Superior. To accomplish a compliant and stable sitting, a primary structure of stone and hand-hewn oak headers, with the visual cues to its solid and grounded precedent, was carefully located so that extended functions could be appended in the form of simply constructed and traditionally crafted white stick-framed “rooms”, full of daylight and reflectivity. As though the project grew naturally over time and with family, outside patios and spaces responded to the simple “additions' ' until they reached the wild edges of the landscape. A narrow drive across a small easement to a fountain welcomes arrivals and is the formal gateway to this unique project.
