The critical protected sand dunes on the shores of Lake Michigan provide a narrative backdrop for this modern vacation home, which also appears on the cover of our 2023 calendar. Modeled after beachfront homes commonly seen along the seaside dunes of New England, this home was customized to the site and built to withstand the unique weather conditions of the area all while being as energy efficient as possible.
“The clients had a beautiful piece of land that had been in their family for a very long time, but they were not sure how to develop it. The plot of land is on Lake Michigan in a protected critical dunes area, the last lot on a private road. The land proved difficult to develop from a legal perspective, and there was a powerline running through the property that carried an easement from the utility provider, making any construction difficult,” said Garth Goldstein the homes designer. “Ultimately, we had to have the power line moved, but because the dunes on the property were protected, we could not build anything into the hillside slopes at all. There was a small flat area directly in front of a dune we could build on, so that is where we ended up placing the house.”
The sand dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan are a unique natural resource that represent the largest collection of freshwater sand dunes in the world and support threatened and endangered plant & animal species in the area. Competing with the construction limitations of building near the critical dunes as well as the lake, local wildlife, and other site conditions, the home is tailored to meet the needs of the owners while treading lightly on the pristine landscape. Designed to be an open and functional home, many of the rooms are flexible spaces that convert to sleeping areas to accommodate large groups of friends and family.
“The concept for the home was to have a platform floating above the dunes. The house has a single great room where if you look to the east, you see the sand dune, and if you look west, you see the expansive waterfront view of Lake Michigan, bringing the landscape right though the building and out to the water,” Garth explained. “The homeowners wanted a house that would disappear and blend into the landscape as much as possible. The timbers were very lightly treated so they could be used inside and outside of the home and left as natural and unfinished as possible. “
“The homeowners were concerned with doing the right thing and not damage the sand dunes, so we decided to use a heavy timber and gluelam structure to elevate the house above the sand dunes so you could see the lake,” Garth continued. “The primary goal of the house was to be above the dunes, facing the water. I worked Fire Tower Engineered Timber to engineer the structure and with New Energy Works towards the end of the design process to achieve the intent and supply the timbers and gluelams with Harbor Design & Construction coming in to complete the final build.”
“There was also a design mandate that this home should be as energy efficient as possible, and I think choosing to work with heavy timbers was far and away the best choice as a material option in terms of how the house functions and works,” Garth concluded. “I think this project is a reflection of the client’s desires and vision. It was a very serious collaboration, the clients knew what they wanted, which made it easier to work on. Everyone who contributed to the project was great to work with and the house really reflects that.”
See our case study: Dune Rider | New Energy Works
Project Credits:
Designer: Garth Goldstein
Builder: Harbor Design & Construction
Engineer: Fire Tower Engineered Timber
Photography: Jane Messinger
