Meeting the Water

Lake Nokomis Design Intervention, Minneapolis, MN

Design Studio, University of Minnesota, 2014

This design intervention for the shoreline of Lake Nokomis invites visitors to inhabit interstitial space between the land and water. I took inspiration from the on-site vegetation and emphasized its interplay with the shoreline to create an experiential path out that extends into the lake.

I envisioned a field of thin rods that would emerge from the ground at the threshold between sand and water, appearing to have grown out of the natural greenery itself. A series of perforated platforms held up by the rods create paths and habitable space that shape a unique experience suspended between the two worlds.

Vegetation

At the Northernmost edge of Lake Nokomis beach, there is an intimate area of shoreline where the sand, water, grass, and tree line meet. In this particularly serene corner, ducks can be spotted swimming by and people can be seen fishing and casting off in their canoes. This is where I chose to place the intervention. I began by mapping out the natural vegetation.

Rods

Amongst the vegetation, I planned a field of rods. This field was designed to mimic the organic form and nature of the shoreline’s greenery. It extends both onto the beach and into the lake itself.

Paths

Perforated paths are suspended above the water, supported by the rods. These paths were designed to allow visitors to walk out into the lake amongst the field of rods, while maintaining a visual connection to the water below their feet. Along the way, the paths create an intriguing experience that produce intimate spaces for rest and culminate in a view of the Northeast shore.