Minneapolis firm D/O Studio has taken cues from Minnesota's Scandinavian climate and heritage when designing a home that "warms the blue light to pure white", while cultivating vegetation native to the site.

Named Nordic Light, the house is situated in a residential neighbourhood of St Paul, Minnesota. Geographically, the city marks the border between the Great Plains to the west and the Great Lakes to the east.

The architects describe the region's landscape as a savannah, where overhanging trees scattered across tall grass prairies. In an attempt to conserve the natural terrain, the flora surrounding the home is restricted to native species.
The colour of the wood siding that clads the building will fade, a feature the firm expects will draw more attention to the vegetation.
"The smooth cedar silvers over time," D/O project designer Al Rahn told Dezeen." As the landscape develops, the house will become visually quiet with the silvery native grasses and majestic white oaks that have been on the site for a century."
The long, dark winters of the area are similar to those of Scandinavia. The title and design of the house directly refer to the climactic similarity, as well as to the region's cultural heritage.

"Much of Minnesota's population has ties back to northern Europe and their cultural traditions," Rahn said. "The integration of architecture and nature, structure and light are essentials to a happy life when six mont...