Oval Dunes Residence
A SECLUDED COURTYARD
Near the sleepy vacation town of Saugatuck, Michigan is a forested, rolling 6-acre parcel that is the site for this incredible home. Wooded sand dunes provide the back drop for the home, but also impart strict state Critical Dune regulations which require careful design and placement of the home, drive, and other site features.
Site Strategy
The Chicago based clients asked the design team to help them locate the best area of the site to place their new home. After several visits and much conversation, a perched bench in the dunes near the rear of the site was selected for its complete privacy and dramatic views into the woodlands below.
The home is conceived as two boxes connected by a transparent glass walkway.
The boxes and connector create a roughly shaped “U” and the center leftover outdoor space holds a quiet outdoor courtyard that can be accessed and enjoyed from all parts of the home. The northern box holds the homes public spaces, while the southern box holds the homes private spaces. From the approach, the public volume acts as a buffer, shielding the private spaces from view along the driveway and entrance.
Project Details
DESIGN TEAM
Eric De Witt, JARIC POPE
Location
Saugatuck, MI
Features
GLASS-BOX living room, structural concrete fireplace, modern curtain wall glass, custom stair, CRITICAL DUNE
