Cabin

Two housing models perch lightly in a field, both featuring gently curved, rainwater-catching butterfly roofloines.

At the end of a dirt road in Bissel Cove, Rhode Island, this 1940s bungalow is surrounded by tall trees and a small horse farm. "It’s very enchanting and quiet—in the best way," note the residents, who own East Surf Co., a surf wax company.

Photo by Andy Liffner

Where the New Buffalo Residence now stands on a wooded lot by the shores of Lake Michigan, there used to be a serpentine ranch house with perplexingly small windows, none of which pointed toward the water. The homeowners had used it as a vacation retreat for over 30 years before an expanding family—and guest list—led them to approach architecture firm Booth Hansen for a fresh design.

The Birch Pavilion sits atop a 14-by-26-foot platform composed of hemlock and pressure-treated timbers. Photo courtesy of Moskow Linn Architects.