Stevensville Modern Craftsman
Sector
Lake Michigan Residential
Location
Stevensville, Michigan
Year
2016
Design Team
John Allegretti, Dave Johnson, Abigail Gatzka, Ronesto Pineda & Natalie Maalouf
Photographer
Patrick Bosse
Located in southwestern Michigan adjacent to the Grand Mere lakes nature preserve, the footprint of this home, on the lee side of a steep barrier dune, provides views of both Lake Michigan and North Lake of the Grand Mere Lake.
The location and the placement of the home suggest both a “gate” and/or a “wall” and suggest the entry into a nature center beyond. The home's site was restricted by a narrow sliver of land wedged between state regulated critical dunes and a Lincoln Township R.O.W, the required three levels and is surrounded on three sides by steel sheet piling and reinforced poured concrete foundations.
This site embodies nature's color palette. We used shade of tan, sand, bark brown, and the surrounding gray-green trees and bushes. The home wears its site well as if it wanted to be nature's color compliment.
Starting with a blue/green plinth of blue stone, we then wove a Spanish cedar trunk around limbs of white sky stucco foliage. This home speaks to a life of harmony, respect and biomimicry. We used materials to celebrate; in a quiet restrained manner, the beauty of natural colors and look forward to their constant shade variations, which will be this home's signature.
Historic in its overall aesthetic persona, the new pool house is functionally sustainable, naturally cooled and geothermally heated and incorporates R50 SIPs roof panels, R40 walls, coupled with low-E glazing, two-inch rigid slab and foundation insulation. Four-to-six-foot overhangs with high emissivity galvanized steel roofing and sustainably harvested knotty pine form an energy efficient home. LED lighting and no VOC natural finishes were also used extensively throughout and provide a relaxing, healthy environment for four generations of friends and family.
