New Buffalo Residence

This property, on the edge of Lake Michigan, contains both dense woods and a bluff to the sandy shores. Our clients had utilized the site and its existing home as a vacation retreat for over 30 years—though the existing home was adequate when their family was young, their expanding family was quickly outgrowing the 1970’s era home. Booth Hansen’s challenge was to create a new, energy-efficient, low-maintenance vacation home that could comfortably accommodate multiple generations. Most importantly, the new home needed to maximize views to the lake and woods and provide a strong indoor/outdoor connection.

The site approach and the architecture are integrated together through a central entry axis. Four white cedar-clad volumes, two on each side of the axis, are peaked to reflect the surrounding Midwestern vernacular architecture. The volumes are linked by flat, zinc-clad connector spaces that provide both separation and definition.

Each volume offers a specific function: guest, gathering, master suite, and storage. The grand scale of the vaulted living and dining rooms recalls the experience of the former home, and is contrasted by the more intimate porch and family rooms in the connectors. A gracious master suite and guest suites accommodate the needs of the family. Each space maximizes views of the lake and woods, emphasized by large glass sliding doors. Durable materials offer easy maintenance and evoke the natural beach landscape.