kYodai

kYodai is a new single-family residence completed in 2024 in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota. Commissioned by longtime friends with a deep connection to the adjacent property, the new house was designed as a companion to Bear Run, an existing home next door built from original Frank Lloyd Wright plans intended for his sister. The unique site, marked by its proximity to this architecturally significant neighbor and the clients' personal history, required a design that could complement Wright’s legacy without direct imitation. The brief called for a home that would honor the influence of Bear Run and the story of the clients’ beloved dogs, integrating themes of respect, kinship, and continuity across generations and species. Imprint Architecture and Design responded with a plan that both references and contrasts its neighbor. The house adopts a Y-shaped layout, echoing but inverting the three-sided, dramatic roof form of Bear Run. Its structure unfolds in three wings beneath a low-hipped, cantilevered roof that maintains a dialogue with Wright’s geometry while introducing a modern, understated presence. The careful use of contemporary and rustic modern materials, coupled with restraint in form, allows kYodai to exist as a distinct entity—one that is aligned with but not derivative of the neighboring Wright-inspired home.

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