Property of Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway | Minneapolis | Architects Elisabeth & Winston Close | Photos Hedrich-Blessing

The Hathaway house comes from the drafting boards of Elizabeth and Winston Close, one of Minneapolis' leading architectural firms. The owner is a professor of psychology at the near-by university; his wife is a clinical psychologist. Their site, which consisted of two lots, each 40' by 130', covered with scrub oaks, was considered undesirable because of its proximity to an industrial area. But as it was near the university, the Hathaways overlooked this handicap. The neighborhood was an established one, and from the upper lot there was a most pleasant view to the southwest. This factor had a deciding influence on the design of the house and its orientation.

To take advantage of the view, the house was placed on the highest part of the plot. All principal rooms are on the upper floor, while entrance hall, laundry-utility room, an extra guest room, and garage are at street level. Placing the house so, involved the cutting down of only one tree. Since the kitchen is on the upper floor, a separate service entrance here saves constant climbing up and down steps. A close study of the floor plans will show how the entrance hall was made weatherproof. One enters under a wide overhanging deck, protected from the elements; once inside there's direct access to guest room, garage, and stairs. The hall is only one instance of the clever planning that went into this compact house. The main floor contains a living-dining room, bedroom, an all-important study, and an efficient corner kitchen. The square deck, accessible from the study, overlooks the entrance.