Docomomo recently sponsored an open house at the Mid-Century-Modern former personal residence of architect Marvin Fergestad. Designed in 1956, it is situated on a 3-acre hilltop site in the Indian Hills neighborhood of Edina. With nearly 8,000 square feet the house was impressive, but it was the amazing garden/guest house that blew me away!
It reminds me of the Cowles Pavilion in the Minneapolis sculpture garden or the conservatory at Como Park. My understanding is it was designed to protect the plants from animals who might find them especially tasty.
Evidently the current owner is an avid gardener, and the garden house was added along with other renovations at the main house, including an addition for plants. It is easy to see the difference between the original mid-century modern house on the upper level and the later ‘plants’ addition in the photo below.
The lower addition also includes a room for starting plants. I am not a gardener so maybe the chart below is typical, but I was impressed by the long list of plants on the left and the detailed timeline for starting plants inside, moving them outside, harvesting, etc, that took up a wole wall! Our son started his own tomatoes for a few years and he would have been thrilled with the starter planting beds with grow lights on the right.
The separate garden/guest house is a separate structure across the drive from the main house. It features facilities for nurturing plants, as well as a cottage/guest house that feels like a retreat center. Evidently they originally intended it to be a two-story structure but the structure wasn’t approved… perhaps because it is supported by a pedestal rather than a full foundation. It truly does feel like a tree house!
Want to see more of this amazing property? Mid-Century-Modern former personal residence of architect Marvin Fergestad
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
It’s amazing what some people come up with to live in and live with. Like you wrote, it feels like a retreat center. A person can get their Zen on here. Very fun to see and read about as we finally start to feel the warmer and nicer weather now…well I think so anyway, ha.