Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach

Built in 1989, this architect designed home beautifully followed through with its rotated square parti. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room, or entry. For this young family of 4, the kitchen is the center around which most daily life rotates. They love to cook and remain close and accessible to each other. They wanted to see from one space to the next and to see through the house to the outdoors. They also wanted to allow the entry better connection and openness to the house.

For 30 years the house has lived very well with no changes, but it was time to strengthen the original idea even further. By thinking of the kitchen not as a separate space but rather as a means to stitch it all together, we expanded the footprint beyond the original walls, reaching just slightly across thresholds to adjacent rooms, allowing us to link them all together. To further accentuate the suture, tile and carpet flooring was removed and replaced with hardwood to match existing. The continuous flooring reinforces the idea of the programmatic space becoming less defined.

The centerpiece is a monumental island that bends at 45 degrees, not once but four times as it plants a foot in both the family room and the atrium. This allows the kitchen to bleed into the surrounding spaces, claiming the dramatic space of the atrium to the south while allowing those preparing meals to have a stronger connection to the family space on the north end. The angled island not only works with the direction of the walls of the space it encapsulates, but it also provides different nooks and workspaces for either sitting, washing, or prepping. Around this island family life can occur.

On Either side of the island is flanked by complimentary millwork. To the east is a baking area that molds itself into the existing triangular walls. New windows drop down to counter height providing additional light and views to the natural scenery below. The west end serves as a cooking and prep area where a custom slatted backsplash cooktop doubles as a combination entry bench and shelving. This sculptural piece works to further bleed boundaries by providing a modicum of privacy while also allowing light and air to pass into the kitchen through the glass entry.

Rose painted accent elements are included in each of the larger kitchen pieces that surround the island. Providing a splash of color, these painted elements create a cohesive language that binds the different elements of the kitchen into one cohesive space.

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Completed: 2020

Project Team:
Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-in-Charge
Chris Bach