The design inspiration for the House on Lake Mendota comes from site-specific orientation of the sun, curated views of the lake, and the sounds and movements of water changing throughout the seasons, including the transformation to the lake from water to ice in the winter. An exaggerated overhang provides shade in the summer to south facing rooms that open to a landscaped courtyard. A two-story living room faces north where the view of the lake is focused below and expanded above. While north facing, the living room is flooded with light from the overhead east and west facing windows allowing the sun to move across the room through our the day. The axial approach from the street to the front door features a wall made of stone from a nearby glacial deposit, a dock/bridge over a rain garden, and an overhead trellis made up of four sheets of stainless steel and cooper machine cutouts leftover from the manufacturing process of an international theatrical lighting company located nearby, designed to create shadow patterns that project onto the walkway and change throughout the day.