Project: Sunfish Lake Residence
Architects: Peterssen/Keller Architecture (now PKA Architecture )
Interior Design: Lucy Interior Design
Location: Sunfish Lake, Minnesota, United States
Photography: Paul Crosby Architectural Photography, Spacecrafting
Nestled within an established suburban neighborhood, Sunfish Lake Residence by PKA Architecture stands as an elegant modern retreat that merges refined design with the beauty of its natural surroundings. This award-winning home captures a distinctive sense of place through its thoughtful composition, timeless materials, and seamless connection between architecture, landscape, and art.
A Modern Home Rooted in Nature
PKA Architecture designed Sunfish Lake Residence to bring a sophisticated architectural presence to its wooded suburban setting without overpowering it. The home’s exterior blends stone, stucco, and metal panels into a calm and organic palette that harmonizes with the surrounding landscape. These natural materials anchor the structure to its site while expressing a sense of permanence and serenity.
From the street, the house feels understated and grounded. Yet as one approaches, the design’s precision and sculptural clarity reveal themselves through layered planes, carefully proportioned forms, and subtle variations in tone and texture.
Architecture That Frames Light and Landscape
Inside, strong vertical stone elements extend from the exterior, creating a visual and material continuity that ties the interior to the land. Expansive, floor-to-ceiling windows act as sculpted voids within these stone volumes. They flood the spaces with daylight, frame curated views of the surrounding trees and lake, and establish a constant dialogue between inside and out.
These openings do more than capture views — they shape the spatial experience. The interplay of light and shadow shifts throughout the day, transforming the home’s minimalist geometry into a dynamic, living environment.
Refined Interiors and Artful Expression
The interiors of Sunfish Lake Residence are a study in balance and contrast. The restrained material palette — natural stone, warm wood, and smooth plaster — forms a quiet backdrop for the clients’ collection of bold contemporary art. The homeowners’ love of bright color is expressed not through paint or pattern, but through artwork, custom furnishings, and richly textured fabrics that bring vibrancy and individuality to each room.
Custom furniture and curated lighting pieces reinforce the sense of tailored craftsmanship. Every detail, from the precision of stone joints to the framing of art walls, contributes to a cohesive aesthetic that feels both sophisticated and deeply personal.
Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Living
Floor-to-ceiling glass panels slide open to extend living spaces outward, connecting the interior seamlessly with terraces and gardens. This fluid relationship between architecture and nature embodies the project’s central philosophy — that a home should not merely sit within its landscape, but live in harmony with it.
Outdoor spaces mirror the calm rhythm of the interiors. Terraces lined with stone and metal continue the home’s material logic, offering quiet places for reflection and gathering under the canopy of trees.
Sophisticated Simplicity
Ultimately, Sunfish Lake Residence by PKA Architecture exemplifies the art of restraint. Its beauty lies not in excess but in precision — in how stone meets glass, how color meets light, and how architecture meets landscape. The result is a home that feels timeless, tactile, and deeply connected to its place.
