When designing a new home for a family of five in Orono, Minnesota, Everson Architect took inspiration from the clients’ love of spas and health clubs. The result is a strikingly contemporary hillside home—complete with a wellness zone, a resort-style pool, and an indoor sports court—settled into the landscape, with vast expanses of glass that dissolve the boundaries between inside and out and frame views of the surrounding wetlands.

“I’ve heard people say the home looks like something you would find in California, Arizona, or Florida,” says architect Tommy Everson. “The way we configured it—tucked into the hillside—it’s nestled within nature. It’s all about the expansive use of space and views.”

From the front, the home appears to be a modest, single-level dwelling with a low profile and an elegantly minimal design language. From the rear, however, the true scale and dramatic design are revealed—two stories set into the hillside with a facade constructed almost entirely of Kolbe windows and glass doors. “The homeowners didn’t want to draw a lot of attention with a grand entry,” says Everson. “Instead, they reserved the grandiose gesture for the back of the house.”

The abundant glazing used throughout—from soaring floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors to picture windows that artfully frame views—necessitated use of a product that would complement the ambitious design vision.

Everson was particularly attracted to the clean lines of the Kolbe VistaLuxe Collection WD LINE, which features large expanses of glass framed by a durable aluminum exterior and warm timber interior. “The large glass openings with narrow framing give the home a museum quality,” explains Everson. “The windows become the artwork and draw you into the dynamic views.”

Nearly every room in the home features operable windows and exterior doors crafted by Kolbe, flooding the interior with natural light and adding to the tranquil, spa-like atmosphere. Everson also worked with Kolbe and builders Gordon James Construction & Development to include a number of custom features for the property, such as the walnut timber front door. This understated entrance is flanked by a nine-foot-tall window that offers a glimpse of the interior when one is outside, and embraces views over the landscape from the interior.

“The windows are a huge part of this house,” says Jeremy Thompson, senior project manager with Gordon James Construction & Development. “Kolbe met the balance of the design that was needed to make the project work.”

“You are surrounded by glass and hardly notice anything other than the views because of the minimal window framing,” agrees Everson. “Kolbe’s windows are a huge part of achieving that experience.”