Knife River Cabin, a secluded retreat owned by an architect and her husband, recently underwent a dramatic façade update to connect with its natural surroundings in Northern Minnesota.

The cabin, designed and built by PKA Architecture managing partner Kristine Anderson, Associate AIA, is a secluded retreat that provides the perfect opportunity to disconnect from the fast pace of everyday life.

Anderson and her husband built the cabin in 2008 and use it year-round. Several years ago, the couple decided to update the exteriors with a discreet yet striking modern look. To create an intriguing juxtaposition with the dark, graphic forms of the cabin and the bold red windows, they wanted to add a soft, organic sculptural element to connect with the landscape.

Kebony Clear cladding frames the windows and doors, adding a natural element that mirrors the cabin’s surroundings in partnership with a modern black exterior and red accents.

“As a residential designer, I love Kebony for its durability and sustainability—essential for Minnesota’s intense climate,” Anderson said. “I also love the way Kebony starts out warm and then changes with the elements, turning a soft, silver hue that becomes almost invisible in the summer and then shimmers in the snow.”

Anderson designed simple window frames and a horizontal, flat-roofed screen with a pair of apertures that frame the front door and the view through to the woods. “The exteriors were completed last summer and the Kebony window accents and screen are already developing a natural patina that’s even more beautiful than we anticipated,” she said.