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A retired couple’s dream home in Minneapolis with Mississippi River views

By | Published on November 10, 2026

Filed Under: Architecture

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Olson Kundig lifts the living spaces into the tree canopy, just across from the Mississippi River.

Aerial view at dusk of a modern home among trees beside the Mississippi River parkway, with the Minneapolis skyline and a lit bridge in the distance

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This dream home in Minneapolis was designed by Olson Kundig for a retired couple who moved back to Minnesota from Colorado. They had wanted to build a house with an architect for most of their lives, and the husband had long admired the work of Tom Kundig. They found their lot on the river bluff, with the Mississippi River parkway right across the street and the downtown skyline just a few miles away.

Built by STREETER Custom Builder, the home lifts its main living spaces to the second floor, up in the canopy of the trees. In summer, the owners look out on leaves and birds, while fall and winter open up long views of the parkway and river. The homeowner calls this upper level the “jewel box,” with glass on three sides that fills the rooms with daylight. Continue below to see more of this amazing home…

A Home Above the Mississippi River Parkway

Modern home at dusk with a lit glass upper level seen across a tree-lined boulevard

Along a tree-lined boulevard, the house sits among older homes, but its simple boxy shapes and dark wood siding make it stand out on the street.

Front of a modern home at dusk with dark cedar siding, a glass-walled upper level, a wide roof overhang and a rusted steel gate

Modern home at dusk framed by a maple tree, with lit windows on the glass upper level and dark cedar siding below

Modern home in late afternoon light with dark cedar siding, a glass upper level and prairie plantings behind a rusted steel gate

The exterior is clad in natural cedar siding with a pine tar finish, which helps the wood hold up to Minnesota weather. A rusted steel gate opens to a front yard planted with tall prairie grasses.

Close view of tall glass windows under a thin roof overhang above pine tar-finished cedar siding and tall grasses

Cedar siding and floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting trees, with a white planter beside the entry

Modern home with a glass-walled upper level, a perforated chimney cap, vertical cedar siding and a mustard yellow front door

Above: A mustard yellow front door brightens up the dark cedar.

Side of a modern home with a glass upper level showing the dining area and plants above dark cedar siding

Covered Walkway and Garden Patio

Covered steel walkway along a garden leading to the house, with a glass wall opening to a patio

At the back of the house, a covered walkway with black steel columns links the home to the detached garage.

View down a covered steel walkway with slim black columns toward a glass door into the house

Covered walkway with black steel columns leading to a garage clad in dark cedar

Garden patio with concrete paver steps, green benches and planters beside floor-to-ceiling glass doors

Above: Concrete paver steps lead through the gardens to a patio with green benches, right outside the lower-level glass doors.

A Stairway Lit by a Tall Window

Side of a modern home with a tall narrow stair window showing open wood treads and the glass upper level

A tall, narrow window runs up the side of the house, offering a glimpse of the open wood stairs that lead to the living spaces.

Tall narrow window in a cedar wall revealing open wood stairs, beside the glass-walled living area

Maple-Paneled Entry Level

Ground-floor hallway with maple-paneled walls and doors, with stairs visible beyond

On the ground floor, walls and doors are paneled in rotary-cut maple by Fritz Millwork, with polished concrete floors underfoot. The same warm maple carries up through the cabinetry and ceilings on the upper level.

Living Room in the Treetops With a Hanging Fireplace

Glass-walled living room with a maple ceiling, a hanging black fireplace, an arc floor lamp, shearling chairs and a dining table

Upstairs, floor-to-ceiling windows line the living room under a maple ceiling with exposed steel beams. A black wood-burning Gyrofocus fireplace by Focus hangs from the ceiling in the middle of the room, with shearling chairs, a rocking chair and lots of houseplants gathered around it. Designed in 1968 by Dominique Imbert, the Gyrofocus was the first suspended fireplace that could pivot a full 360 degrees, and it has even been shown at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Hanging black fireplace and arc floor lamp beside a glass coffee table and a cowhide shell chair, with trees through the windows

The hard-to-reach upper windows are automated by Marvin, so the owners can open them without a ladder. Motorized shades and lighting run on the same smart home system.

Kitchen and Dining Area

Maple kitchen with a long island, three tall black pendant lights and a walnut dining table in front

The kitchen features maple cabinetry, a long island and a trio of black pendant lights with tiny perforations. A live-edge walnut dining table sits just in front.

Kitchen with a maple island and stainless refrigerator beside a hallway, with a tall window overlooking the covered walkway

Above: A window beside the kitchen looks down onto the roof of the covered walkway.

Dining table below black pendant lights, with a black bookcase and the stair opening beyond

Above: Beyond the dining table, a black bookcase stands near the top of the stairs.

What We Love About This Home

This Olson Kundig home shows what it’s like to live up in the trees without leaving the city. We are loving the glass-walled living room with its hanging fireplace, the warm maple throughout, and the dark cedar exterior that looks so striking at dusk. The covered steel walkway is a smart touch for Minnesota winters, and we can only imagine how beautiful the fall color must be from that upper level.

Tell Us: Would you love to live up in the treetops like this, or do you prefer your living room closer to the ground? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Don’t miss a couple of other beautiful Minnesota home tours we have shared here on One Kindesign: A dreamy northwoods-inspired home in Minnesota with peaceful woodlands and Tour this barn-inspired prairie home in Minnesota with serene meadow views.

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