Set on a dune overlooking Lake Michigan,

this residence appears to emerge from the

landscape. The project brief called for an

artful house that respects the land and

promotes wellness and outdoor living.

Rugged beauty and opportunity for

adventure drew the owners to the property

but presented challenges, including rising

lake levels and wildfire risk. The site

necessitated a durable shelter that could

responsibly integrate with the environment.

  

Clad in sand-colored stucco with wood soffits, the house will intentionally be obscured by grasses and junipers over time. Outdoor spaces are layered to match the undulating topography. A steel superstructure enables an ultra-thin roof with overhangs for passive solar design that withstand gale-force winds and heavy snow loads.

 

A crushed-granite courtyard offers refuge on windy days and a winter gathering place apres-ski. This space is enclosed by Cor-Ten panels that shift like sails on a boat. These manually-operated panels are a sculptural solution to balance openness with privacy, rotating open to reveal expansive dune views or closing for a cloistered experience. The courtyard is further defined by a deconstructed roof with an aperture that frames sky views.

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The first level incorporates all spaces for the owners to live but feels larger because it integrates with 3,000 sq ft of outdoor space. Expansive glazing and porcelain flooring unites interior and exterior, evoking a sense of inhabiting an infinity house. And a screen porch, integrated into the massing and concealed by louvers, is a contemporary interpretation of a time-honored lake house vernacular.

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Layers of light and an edited palette of materials unify the interior and evoke a laid-back feeling of beach towns. The walk-out lower level has two guest suites, a bunk room, and a flex room. On both levels, bronze glass walls artfully define rooms while preserving views.

 

The house is engineered to enable residents to thrive in this extreme microclimate. Triple-pane glazing maintains indoor comfort. Operable window walls improve indoor air quality and encourage active living through a connection to the outdoors. And a rooftop PV solar array and battery storage system power the home.