Wooden house sky and lawn
Wooden house sky and lawn
Vernacular references and carbonized wooden facade. House on Lake Michigan

The house, perched on a wooded promontory on Lake Michigan, designed by Desai Chia Architecture in collaboration with Environment Architects (AOR)studio, refers to the vernacular architecture of the surrounding villages

The house is a combination of three structures: a more intimate one, with a living room, kitchen and covered terrace overlooking the lake, and two intended for the sleeping area with bedrooms. All the structures are connected to each other

House in charred wood

The roof is playfully based on the vernacular architecture of the nearby fishing villages and has gentle undulations that follow the natural movement of the ground. The wooden beams are visible in the interior

House in charred wood

At the southern end the roof has a 20-foot overhang, creating a protected terrace overlooking the lake and the surrounding woods. The exteriors are clad with the "ShouSugi Ban" technique, a Japanese method that consists of carbonizing the wood to make it resistant to insects and putrefaction

House in charred wood

In this way, the facade appears darker and the shadows are enhanced at sunrise and sunset. The furniture was made from the wood of dying trees which was milled and used for interior furniture such as flooring, ceiling panels and other interior design elements

House in charred wood

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