Benefits and Considerations: Hiring an Architect
Minneapolis is known for its beautiful city lakes, and the equally beautiful neighborhoods built around them.
Living in the city on one of these lakes had always been a dream of ours, so when we stumbled upon a home in need of renovation but on a great spot in Lake of the Isles, we snapped it up!
A few years prior, we had experienced some heartbreak over deciding to walk away from a custom designed new construction home . Our goal had always been to be closer to the city’s center and to be able to make a home our own as we had in the past. The timing was finally right.
This time around, we knew we wanted to work with an independent architect, so that’s where we started when building out our team. We partnered with PKA Architecture because of their extensive work within the neighborhood, giving them a strong grasp of its architectural history as well as their amazing creative design and efficient project management.
The neighborhood is full of homes built in the early 1900’s with architectural significance, so our original plan was to try and work with what was there. However, in walking through the home and discussing the very necessary changes with the architects, it quickly became clear that the house could not be saved. We had a historical review done on the home just to make sure we weren’t tearing down a treasure, then set to work designing a new architectural gem in the lake’s crown jewels.
While we now had the freedom to design a totally new home from scratch, we still had to work within the confines of a fairly small lot. Out of respect for our new neighbors, the character of the neighborhood and to be as efficient as possible, we knew we did not want to try and get a building variance from the city, which meant PKA now had the task of helping us get as many of our checklist items as possible in the limited space we had.
This started with a discussion on the “massing” or the basic block form of the home. They gave us options on how to maximize not only the gorgeous views we’d purchased the home for to begin with, but also the sunlight. Living in Minneapolis, southern sun exposure is important in order to get as much daylight as possible, even during the darker days of winter. They presented a simple square block form, but also an “L” shaped form to maximize natural light throughout the seasons. While the block form was less expensive, the cost trade off for the natural light was worth it to us, so we moved forward with that design foundation.
Knowing that we were going to be playing to the sunlight, we then dove into window options and placement. Again, we felt the investment was well worth it to enjoy the views we’d dreamed about so we went with lots of windows including many floor-to-ceiling and large picture windows. We knew the choice to include more windows would add to our overall construction and material costs, so to stay on budget we simplified the landscaping and deleted the idea of a plunge pool in the backyard (for now!)
One of the great things about working with an architect is that they have insight into new or unique products the average consumer doesn’t know about. They turned us on to a new window from Marvin called the Skycove® which is a glass structure that projects into the open air. It’s a smart extension of usable space and can create panoramic views in the room where it’s installed. It brings in light from four directions, capturing more natural light throughout the day. On the interior, it provides the design opportunity for a cozy nook to curl up and enjoy a book or just the beautiful view – even when the lake is frozen over and the maple trees are covered in snow. It’s now my favorite spot in the house!
There were other considerations to be made to overcome the limitations on size, the budget and the needs of each person living in the home. PKA was instrumental in helping us achieve the things we knew we really wanted in our home within our allotted space. They used creative problem solving to create beautiful and exceptionally efficient design moments.
These included:
Tucking a work space into a long hallway – the perfect spot for homework and zoom calls.
Creating a staircase with curves and architectural interest that was still compact. While it may look like it was simple to achieve, it was actually a structural feat.
Designing custom, intentional built-in cabinetry in the kitchen as there wasn’t space for a dedicated pantry. This added storage and functionality, but they are also beautiful to look at.
We’ve lived in the home for over a year now, and I’ve had some time to reflect on the benefits and considerations of using an independent architect to design your home, so here are my personal thoughts.
Benefits of Using an Architect to Design Your Home
Provided you do your research and due diligence, you’re bound to wind up with a beautifully designed home paired with creative problem solving to overcome any constraints there may be.
A good architect is similar to a sherpa – helping you navigate the world of city zoning, building regulations and keeping the neighbors happy and informed to alleviate anxiety for everyone.
They work for you and your budget. They will help educate you as you make the inevitable decisions on cost trade-offs and what is structurally feasible.
Being able to say that your home was designed by an award-winning architect can add value and a level of discernment to your home when it comes time to sell.
Considerations When Using an Architect to Design Your Home
The architecture phase can sometimes increase the overall length of your project timeline. At the same time, it can also help you avoid issues during the construction phase as it forces everyone to spend a bit more time planning and thinking through the design and finish selections.
There is certainly an additional cost involved, usually anywhere from 15%-20% of the cost of construction. With that said, in my experience, the cost pays for itself in creative cost engineering during the design phase and in the market value of your home once the final product is complete. A beautiful and uniquely designed home is appreciated by savvy, discerning buyers and ultimately adds value to your life as well as your investment.
