Design Intent/Solution

After trading in their in-town home and a lake cabin, a family of five wanted a new year-round residence in the woods overlooking Lake Superior. Challenged to combine the requirements of a home with the character of a retreat, the architects used steeply sloped gables and nestled dormers to conceal three bedrooms, two baths, and a large woodshop. An open breezeway reduces bulk, expansive windows offer dramatic views, and glass walls gather southwest light deep into the house. Finished with Douglas fir timbers, cedar shingles, and locally sourced banded taconite, the house is comfortably at home in the woods.

Judges’ Comments

Appropriately scaled for the site, the house feels like a retreat in the woods. The architects used the gable very deftly to reduce the scale of the house and to create a very charming identity. The corners of the house open up in a way that connects to the site, capturing light and views and creating usable exterior space. By combining a Scandinavian sensibility with an attention to craftsmanship, the architects gave the home both traditional and contemporary qualities.