Beverly Shores House

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Beverly Shores Residence seeks to create an appropriate response to building in a sensitive lowland dune landscape. The house is located near the shore of Lake Michigan an a semi-wooded lowland dune. The topography is relatively flat, and the house responds to and accentuates the existing site conditions.

The two story house separates public and private spaces vertically as well as East to West. Public spaces of the house are designed to be extroverted in nature and they reach out to the vistas and sitelines surrounding the property. Small private windows relate to their spaces while public spaces contain entire walls of windows.

While the house has an exspansive footprint, the location of the house and its massing respond to the existing site, and a minimum of the site was disturbed during construction. Existing contours are accentuated by low sitting walls and curving pathways leading to the front of the house. A low maintenance rock/sand garden allows the house to blend into the existing natural environment.

The super-insulated house is constructed with wood framing on a slab on grade. Beach stones are incorporated into the hydronic heated ground concrete floor. The focal point of the entry and living room is a stainless steel and maple stair leading to the second floor. Exterior materials consist of corrugated copper on the second floor mass, brick for the south facing slab, and tongue and groove cedar horizontal siding on the first floor. Colors and materials are selected to blend with the woodland colors found on the site. Standard windows, cabinets, and doors allow for an affordable solution in keeping with the client’s budget.

The house is designed for a young family and it centers around the kitchen designed for two professional Chefs. Easy circulation is paramount for entertaining, and the scale of rooms allows for both small family life as well as large gatherings. Bedrooms are located on the second floor along with a small gathering area and a large master bathroom. The master bathroom centers on the tub under a large skylight with a horizontal viewing window.

The Play House

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