ELLIOTT DUDNIK + ASSOCIATES

Architecture Engineering Planning Forensic Services

PROJECTS
Weekend And Summer Home

The project was a summer home that could also be used on winter weekends. The site was located on a high bluff overlooking Lake Michigan in southwest Michigan. Of prime importance was a wish by the clients to view the lake from every bedroom and to maximize access to the outdoors.

The kitchen, dining and living areas were combined to provide a sense of informality on the main floor with spatial differentiation achieved by varying the ceiling heights. The entire northwest wall was glazed to provide an unbroken view of trees, lake and beach. The hyperbolic-paraboloid roof provided space for the master bedroom and a guest bedroom-study on the upper floor as well as a two-story high living room space. The two children's bedrooms were set on one side of the main floor level in a separate wing for maximum privacy.

A screened porch on the south-west side provides a sitting area off the kitchen and serves as the main entry to the house, while decks and balconies on the north-west permit seating on the side facing the lake. The lower level contains the utilities, boat storage facilities, a playroom for the children, as well as direct access down to the beach. The existing trees and the natural contours of the site were preserved, as much as possible.

The entire home was built of cedar beams and decking exposed on the interior. Exterior walls were vertical cedar siding, with interior of painted drywall, stained exposed cedar beams and columns, oak flooring throughout except for red slate in the kitchen and bathrooms.