The Authentic House celebrates Minneapolis-based Rehkamp Larson Architect's quarter century of work, focusing on 25 houses that embody the spirit and soul of people and place. The projects are organized by location, By the Water, On the Land, and In the City, showing a range of houses settled into their unique landscapes from Midwestern lakes to ocean views and rolling prairie to urban neighborhoods. A guiding philosophy of Rehkamp Larson is that neither the style nor the function of a house is predetermined. Instead, the aesthetics and livability take shape with a creative, iterative process tailored to the homeowners and the land.
Timeless residential architecture balances durability, value, and beauty. It supports the functional parts of everyday life while providing a joyful refuge. Rehkamp Larson's process revolves around creating spaces that resonate deeply with clients through attentive listening, creative thinking, and problem solving. The firm combines the art and science of architecture to create authentic solutions for a wide range of residential types including farmhouse, lake cottage, cabin in the woods, vineyard estate, beach retreat, and neighborhood home.
Written by Mark Larson and Jean Rekamp Larson, founders of the award-winning Rehkamp Larson Architects based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Contents include:
- The history and framework behind the firm's architectural design work
- Inspiration for design of houses by the water, on the land, and in the city
- Profiles of 25 houses
- Floor plans/site plans
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Exterior and interior professional photos
About the Authors
Mark Larson and Jean Rehkamp Larson co-founded Rehkamp Larson Architects in 2000 with the vision of an inspired, collaborative, client-focused residential design practice. At the core of this work is a passion for the creative process of designing good places for people to live.
Mark Larson and Jean Rehkamp Larson co-founded Rehkamp Larson Architects in 2000 with the vision of an inspired, collaborative, client-focused residential design practice. At the core of this work is a passion for the creative process of designing good places for people to live.
After receiving a B.A. from St. Olaf College, Mark earned his Master of Architecture from the University of Minnesota in 1992. Prior to founding the firm, he worked in the offices of Vince James, The Leonard Parker Associates, Julie Snow Architects, and HGA. Mark was the recipient of the AIA Young Architect Award in 2005 and the Architect of Distinction Award in 2016 from AIA Minnesota. He served as Chair of the AIA Minnesota Residential Architecture Committee, steering committee member of the Architecture and the Psyche Symposium, and jury panelist on various local and national residential design competitions. He has lectured on cabins, renovations, and the design process, co-taught Intro to Architecture in the Art Department at St. Olaf College, and frequently serves as a mentor to students pursuing architecture.
Mark Larson and Jean Rehkamp Larson co-founded Rehkamp Larson Architects in 2000 with the vision of an inspired, collaborative, client-focused residential design practice. At the core of this work is a passion for the creative process of designing good places for people to live.
Jean received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota in 1993. Prior to founding the firm, she worked in the office of Mulfinger, Susanka & Mahady (SALA). In 2000, she was a recipient of the AIA Young Architect Award and in 2006 named Emerging Talent of the Year by Midwest Home magazine. Her work was described as "very down to earth, with a beautiful kind of elegant simplicity." Jean is also the recipient of the 2019 Architect of Distinction Award from AIA Minnesota. She is the author of The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home (Taunton Press 2004). Jean has served on a local historic preservation commisssion, was a founding counselor of the Congress of Residential Architecture (CORA), served on the advisory group of the Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) of the American Institute of Architects, and has been on juries for local and national awards.
