ModernWell

ModernWell

A Lakeside Workspace Built for Shared Momentum

THE SPACE BEFORE

The site had the address and the mission — a lakeside main street in Wayzata, a founding workspace built to support women building businesses. What it also had was one of the most distinctive site stories we’ve worked with: the entire 2,350-square-foot footprint sits over a water reservoir. Every utility — electrical, low-voltage, plumbing, data — runs beneath the floor. Yes, that meant subcontractors in waders. It’s the kind of detail that makes a project memorable, and it set the tone for an infrastructure-first design approach from day one.

THE DESIGN DIRECTION

ModernWell needed to do a lot in a compact footprint. The space had to orient visitors in seconds, shift smoothly from deep focus work to collaboration to hosted evening events, reset fast without clutter, keep circulation intuitive and accessible, and express a lakeside identity. Members needed reliable power and data at every workstation. The lighting had to balance daylight with task and ambient layers. And all of it had to meet durability and budget goals shaped by the infrastructure challenges underfoot. This is a workspace designed to create shared momentum — a place where independent paths align and businesses rise together.

WHAT MADE THIS PROJECT DIFFERENT

A water reservoir under the entire floor. Not your typical project setup — and that’s part of what makes the story.. Every utility decision — where to place floor boxes, how to run electrical and data, where plumbing could go — had to account for the reservoir below. We developed a targeted floor-box and trench plan that routes power and low-voltage precisely where they’re needed, keeps aisles clear, and avoids unnecessary infrastructure spending. The dollars went into the backbone that members feel every day. The rest of the space could stay thoughtful and efficient because the foundation was right.

A simple loop that guides everything. In a space that shifts modes constantly — quiet focus in the morning, a workshop at noon, an evening event by six — the circulation can’t be complicated. We designed a natural loop: arrive, gather, work, meet, return. Purposeful storage, tables on casters, and integrated power make quick resets possible while accessible routes stay open in every configuration. You never have to think about where to go. The space tells you.

A tuned entry that says hello and gives directions at once. First impressions in a shared workspace matter — new members and visitors need to feel welcome and oriented immediately. We designed the entry with a panel rhythm, sconces, and preserved daylight sightlines that offer warmth and clear direction in the same moment. You walk in and you know where you are, where to go, and that you belong here.

Focus, collaboration, and events — all without clutter. Window-front work bars give members views without glare, paired with sunshades and task lighting. Six private offices support teams of one to four, with borrowed light through glazed doors so they stay connected to the energy of the commons. A daylit boardroom with AV and catering storage handles pitches and presentations. A small meeting room and phone booth cover coaching sessions and calls. And when evening comes, mobile furnishings and strategic power outlets flip the commons to event-ready — and back to quiet focus the next morning.

Lakeside identity. Wayzata sits on Lake Minnetonka, and the space needed to feel like it belongs there — without anchor motifs or nautical blue. Board-and-batten in elevated hues, warm woods, and brass accents set an everyday-elevated tone. A wave-pattern carpet nods to the water without being literal. Sound-softening finishes and layered lighting keep the environment steady, bright, and calm. Added wall and above-ceiling acoustic insulation tempers sound transfer while maintaining the openness that makes the space feel generous.

THE OUTCOME

Walk into ModernWell on Wayzata’s main street and the space reads immediately. You know where to sit, where to meet, where to find quiet. The lakeside character is in every finish and texture without ever being on the nose. The work bars fill up by morning. The boardroom handles a pitch at lunch and a workshop by three. By evening, the commons transforms for a hosted event — and by the next morning it’s back to focus mode without a trace of last night’s gathering.

Beneath it all — literally — runs the infrastructure that makes the space work. Power, data, low-voltage, plumbing, all routed through a water reservoir by a team that showed up in waders and made it look easy. It’s a great backstory members never have to think about, because the space above just works. For a community built on shared momentum, the space does exactly what it promises: it makes independent work feel supported, connected, and ready to rise.

RECOGNITION

An ASID First Place award in Office Space Design
Featured: Lake Minnetonka Magazine
Featured: Artful Living Magazine