An Active Waterlife

Project Type: New Build

Sponsors: Acucraft (fireplaces), Kyle Hunt & Partners (builder)

The active lifestyle of the clients, centered on tennis, pickleball, and on-the-water entertaining, coupled with the acquisition of a beautiful west-facing lakefront lot on Lake Minnetonka, presented an opportunity to create a home that will meet the family’s needs for today and generations to come.

The design takes full advantage of striking lake views that stretch into the distance and maximize on-lake activities. Every major room has extensive lake view-oriented glazing and the design integrates a spacious, flowing, open concept to integrate within the constraints of the site. 

To avoid impacting the lakefront, a swimming pool, pickleball, and tennis court reside within the footprint of the main house, which allows usage throughout the year. A stormwater retention system was engineered and built under the tennis court, allowing impervious surface to be mitigated through engineering calculation to 16% when 25% is the maximum permitted. The City of Deephaven applauded the use of this type of system, usually related to commercial construction, which greatly reduces water impacts on this lakefront site.

AIA Framework for Design Excellence: Design for Water

This entire project was and is related to the enjoyment and use of water in reasonable approaches and methods. Water collection and treatment systems were primary concerns from the outset. Due to watershed requirements limiting non-permeable hard surface, this project collects stormwater off of 5,000 square feet of structural roof and 7,500 square feet of a tennis court surface. This results in a 16% hardcover ratio where 25% is permitted. The containment of the stormwater begins with an underground system of four feet of crushed rock, a filter fabric, and a system of void creation underneath the tennis court location. To date, there has been no overflow, which would be filtered water that is piped to the lake, in excess of two years' time since installation. Relative to supporting a healthy regional watershed, the development of this site nearly eliminates stormwater run-off of any amount into Lake Minnetonka.