---
title: "CITYDESKSTUDIO, Inc. — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz"
canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/citydeskstudio-inc-pfvwus-pf~1417699257
markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1417699257.md
entity_type: LocalBusiness
business_name: "CITYDESKSTUDIO, Inc."
category: ["Architects"]
image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/d2030b040f4535ab_7583-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg
address: "550 NORTH VANDALIA STREET, SUITE 101, SAINT PAUL, Minnesota 55114-1833, United States"
latitude: 44.968
longitude: -93.1981
phone: "(651) 644-1106"
website: http://www.citydeskstudio.com
rating: 4.8
review_count: 6
best_of_houzz_awards: 3
followers: 484
last_updated: 2026-09-04
---

# CITYDESKSTUDIO, Inc.

Original Houzz profile: [CITYDESKSTUDIO, Inc.](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/citydeskstudio-inc-pfvwus-pf~1417699257)

## Professional summary

- **Primary category:** Architects
- **Location:** SAINT PAUL, MN
- **Serves:** Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and cities across the U.S.
- **Houzz rating:** 4.8 out of 5 (6 reviews)
- **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2013–2018), for Service, Design.

## About

### Houzz Badges

- Houzz Influencer
- Recommended on Houzz
- 50,000 Ideabook Saves

We believe that good architecture is all about the people that it is designed for. It must ask questions, push boundaries, and challenge pre-conceptions, all while working within proven construction practices. Working this way, within an energetic and creative studio environment, we believe our clients benefit from work that is both well designed and soundly built.

### Services Provided

- Building Design
- Home Remodeling
- New Home Construction
- Kitchen Design
- 3D Rendering
- Bathroom Design
- Construction Drawings
- Custom Homes

### Areas Served

- Minneapolis
- Saint Paul
- and cities across the U.S.

## Business Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Business Name | CITYDESKSTUDIO, Inc. |
| Address | 550 NORTH VANDALIA STREET, SUITE 101, SAINT PAUL, Minnesota 55114-1833, United States |
| Phone | (651) 644-1106 |
| Website | http://www.citydeskstudio.com |
| Followers on Houzz | 484 |

## Contact

- **Houzz profile:** [CITYDESKSTUDIO, Inc.](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/citydeskstudio-inc-pfvwus-pf~1417699257)
- **Website:** http://www.citydeskstudio.com
- **Phone:** (651) 644-1106

## Credentials

- **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2013–2018), for Service, Design.

**Affiliations**
- [The American Institute of Architects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/the-american-institute-of-architects-pfvwus-pf~1350720471)

## Reviews

**Overall rating: 4.8 out of 5 — 6 reviews**

### All 6 reviews

**★★★★★ — Kirsten and Jon Yocum, Oct. 2017**

> The list of needs, wants, demands, and dreams was long when we first met with Ben Awes at CityDeskStudio (CDS). Our wish simply stated: Design a modern home with sustainable materials that is energy efficient and respects the natural beauty of the site. If that weren't enough, we looked for a design that allowed easy living through all ages and stages of mobility; an age-in-place home not too big, but not too small. The team at CityDeskStudio listened to us, sought out solutions, and communicated well with our team including our builder, landscape architects, engineers, and contractors. What Ben and staff accomplished exceeded our expectations far beyond our initial list. We now have the great pleasure of living in an incredible CityDeskStudio home; designed with care and delivered with integrity. We could not be more grateful for CDS and for their efforts. The experience was truly extraordinary.

**★★★★★ — dowernke, Oct. 2014**

> CityDeskStudio provided architectural services on our whole-house remodel. From the very beginning, Bob Ganser was a thoughtful listener  and creative thinker and was able to translate our thoughts and ideas into workable designs for the house. CityDeskStudio was also willing to work within our budget and deadlines and offered solutions to challenges that often come up during the remodel process. Giving us a light-filled house was one of the biggest differences from the original 1958 house to the current home we live in. He expanded windows, added skylights and carefully placed windows to get the best direct light. We are very pleased with the outcome!

**★★★★★ — Matthew & Sarah Taylor, Feb. 2014**

> We hired CityDeskStudio to design our house, and they were wonderful. Ben and the team took on our hopes and disparate ideas and created a vision for our house. Ben has a gift for listening to and understanding what people want and taking that on as his own passion. His solutions were beautiful and unique. He was conscious of budgets and finding the best ways to use every dollar to its fullest. We are so grateful for Ben and CityDeskStudio and their great work.
>
> We have recommended CityDeskStudio in the past, and we'll continue to recommend them.

**★★★★ — grouwsm, Jan. 2014**

> We worked with Ben Awes, an incredibly talented architect.  He gave us several well considered options for our house remodeling project.  We were delighted with the final plans and outcome for our project.  Would recommend him very highly!

**★★★★★ — gracielamagnoni, Aug. 2013**

> I hired CityDeskStudio to design an addition for our home. Bob Ganser was fantastic. He understood very well what we wanted and the result was above expectation. The work was done in exactly the deadline planned. Bob was very reliable and tried to watch our best interest all the time. He also tried to stay in the budget without compromising in important aspects of the remodeling.
> He listened to us and tried to understand our needs and taste. The result was exactly what we wanted. Bob is very detail oriented. He was also very helpful in the selection of the finishing materials, giving us suggestions and explaining why he would do one way instead of the other. He has a great taste and this is very important when it comes to design and remodeling. Bob is very creative and brought very smart and practical solutions to our project. Our house is now very beautiful. I totally recommend CityDeskStudio, specially to those who want a contemporary/modern look for his/her home.
> Bob's design for our house turned out amazing.

**★★★★★ — jamesaschwartz, Aug. 2013**

> In 2008, City Desk Studio renovated our small bungalow home to better fit the needs of our expanding family.  Our vision was to create open living spaces, incorporate modern design, and nearly double the square footage without overshadowing the other homes in our modest neighborhood.  Bob Ganser at City Desk Studio met all of the goals of our project with a great understanding of our needs and tastes.  He created our dream home; beautifully designed and functional living spaces, without breaking the bank.  Their team worked well with the contractor to ensure the project was executed as designed.  They were efficient and creative at solving problems when challenges emerged in the process.  They completed the project on time and on budget.  They listened to our needs and were exceedingly professional.  Five years after the renovation, we could not be happier with our beautiful home and had a wonderful experience working with Bob at City Desk Studio.

## Selected projects

- [BLACKBELT HOUSE](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/blackbelt-house-pj-vj~6005587)
  - Location: Minnetrista, MN
  - Photos: 6
- [WOOLMAN DRIVE](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/woolman-drive-pj-vj~6005573)
  - Location: Minnetonka, MN
  - Photos: 19
  - Description: Nordic Shift is an uncovering and revealing of the best traits and qualities of an already well-designed home. Quite often our client’s love their home, but it is not performing well any longer, they want it to meet them where they are today. Often this can be done without additional square feet. Our first task was to explore the form of the home with new textures, materials, and colors, highlighting what was interesting and unique. The existing verticality created an odd proportion that lacked…
- [SCHOOLHOUSE BLOCK](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/schoolhouse-block-pj-vj~6005550)
  - Location: Excelsior, MN
  - Photos: 14
  - Description: Built in 1989, this home beautifully followed through with its rotated square design. No room was a completed rectangle, and all rooms had triangular features, creating interesting and unexpected spaces both indoors and out that connected and flowed into and through each other. This was true everywhere except in the center of the house where it was most needed. The kitchen locked itself into a square with one access point and little visual connection to the living room, dining room, family room,…
- [STACKED STUDIO](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/stacked-studio-pj-vj~6005530)
  - Location: Plymouth, MN
  - Photos: 16
- [ASPECT221](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/aspect221-pj-vj~6005611)
  - Location: Golden Valley, MN
  - Photos: 16
- [HOUSE OF BLUES](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/house-of-blues-pj-vj~6005652)
  - Location: Saint Paul, MN
  - Photos: 11
- [YOCUM FARM](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/yocum-farm-pj-vj~6005710)
  - Location: Stillwater, MN
  - Photos: 16
- [COOL RANCH](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/cool-ranch-pj-vj~6005748)
  - Location: Edina, MN
  - Photos: 13
- [Arch Way](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/arch-way-pj-vj~2243440)
  - Location: Minneapolis, MN
  - Photos: 11
- [SIMPLE SIDEWALK](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/simple-sidewalk-pj-vj~2564174)
  - Location: Chanhassen, MN
  - Photos: 8
- [THE GATHERING KITCHEN](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/the-gathering-kitchen-pj-vj~1282658)
  - Location: Mendota Heights, MN
  - Photos: 9
  - Description: The Gathering Kitchen - re-placing eating at the center of the home. We’ve all had the common experience of guests gathering in the kitchen. It seems the kitchen has replaced the hearth as the center of the modern home. Often in this shift is the loss of gathering around the table. This client has a passion for cooking and has lived for 20 years with a kitchen that’s fallen short of her needs, and a dining room that is never used. She also has a passion for hosting her family & friends – large g…
- [KYLE PLACE](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/kyle-place-pj-vj~6005815)
  - Location: Golden Valley, MN
  - Photos: 45
- [Edina Split Level Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/edina-split-level-remodel-pj-vj~698218)
  - Location: Edina, MN
  - Photos: 13
  - Description: This 1958 split-level home featured a kitchen typical of its era - small and cut off from the rest of the home. In the traditional enclosed kitchen of these older houses, seating space is limited. Where the kitchen tends to be the place of the home for family gatherings and get togethers, an inviting, wide-open floor plan became the solution. The addition of a three-season screened back porch presented a design challenge, requiring a variance from the city of Edina. The city appreciated the sens…
- [INSIDE OUTSIDE POOLSIDE](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/inside-outside-poolside-pj-vj~6005846)
  - Location: Edina, MN
  - Photos: 9
- [Independence House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/independence-house-pj-vj~803812)
  - Location: Independence, MN
  - Photos: 22
  - Description: Located on the site of a former farmhouse, this compact modern home takes formal and material cues from the landscape and agricultural structures of the surrounding area. The massing of the home is monolithic to the north and west, protecting it from prevailing winter winds. Openings were selectively placed to allow some filtered northern light, and framed views of the wetland to the east, with the primary focus of the large window areas being toward the south. Deep overhangs prevent solar heat…
- [Graphic Nature House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/graphic-nature-house-pj-vj~37919)
  - Location: Roseville, MN
  - Photos: 11
  - Description: The clients desires: connecting, merging, transitioning, inside and outside, nature and built form, bold, graphic, vertical in expression, welcoming and private. She is a gardener and he a graphic designer. The gardener is engaged when the house subtly reaches out to nature, and recedes in to accept it by directing views to the yard, inflecting to enclose a tiny rock garden, and projecting private window boxes, each responding to the site and to the owner. The graphic designer is engaged when th…
- [NEW LIFE AT THE SPLIT](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/new-life-at-the-split-pj-vj~425631)
  - Location: Edina, MN
  - Photos: 15
  - Description: This 1958 split-level home featured a kitchen typical of its era - small and cut off from the rest of the home. In the traditional enclosed kitchen of these older houses, seating space is limited. Where the kitchen tends to be the place of the home for family gatherings and get togethers, an inviting, wide-open floor plan became the solution. The addition of a three-season screened back porch presented a design challenge, requiring a variance from the city of Edina. The city appreciated the sens…
- [South Minneapolis - Kitchen and Master Suite Addition / Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/south-minneapolis-kitchen-and-master-suite-addition-remodel-pj-vj~422454)
  - Location: Minneapolis, MN
  - Photos: 8
  - Description: This 1920's Tudor style home was renovated throughout. It includes a rear addition for a new modernized and expanded kitchen with three-season screened porch on the main floor and a new master suite and laundry room on the upper floor. A new detached garage was added to match the master bedroom / kitchen addition.
- [Minneapoli Riverfront Mid Century Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/minneapoli-riverfront-mid-century-remodel-pj-vj~293252)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 11
- [TREE HOUSE EXTENSION](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/tree-house-extension-pj-vj~80919)
  - Location: Minnetonka, MN
  - Photos: 8
  - Description: The owners of this 1980’s era home were looking for a strikingly modern and natural light filled addition / renovation that would both accommodate a kitchen extension and create open flowing main floor living space connecting their formerly enclosed and separate kitchen and dining areas to their existing vaulted living room. The design reflects the homeowners clean modern aesthetic and reinforces their desire for open living areas with abundant daylight and exterior views. The design solution en…

[See all 35 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/citydeskstudio-inc-pfvwus-pf~1417699257)

## Ideabooks

- [Bathrooms](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/16179973/list/bathrooms) — 22 ideas
- [P+J's Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/24352255/list/p-j-s-kitchen) — 37 ideas
- [Kitchens](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/18333720/list/kitchens) — 4 ideas
- [Zweigbaum](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/9747783/list/zweigbaum) — 2 ideas

[See all 4 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/citydeskstudio)

## Community Q&A

**Q: Siding?** *(in Photo Questions)*

Can you tell me what type of siding that is and the color?

A: Richlite is used for the black siding

**Q: We are looking for an extra-long bathtub! Where did you get it?** *(in Photo Questions)*

A: It is not an extra long tub. The photo was taken with a wide angle lens making it look long.

**Q: Dimensions** *(in Photo Questions)*

What are your bathroom dimensions?  I have a 7'2" x 10'. Trying to do something similar.

A: Hello! this bathroom is 7'0" wide by 7'7" long

**Q: Sizing question** *(in Photo Questions)*

Hi, can you tell me what the size of the table is as well as the banquet? Thanks!

A: 32" x 84"

**Q: Any information on the table top? Where as the top sourced?** *(in Photo Questions)*

A: It is simple a piece of granite

**Q: upper cabinets** *(in Photo Questions)*

could you tell me the height between counter and bottom of upper cabinets here?  and the depth of the counters versus the upper cabinets?  love the clean look of the hood, and hoping to replicate in our kitchen.  thanks!

A: Uppers are 36" above the counter and are 24" deep, matching the lower cabinet depth

---

*Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-04.*