Weekend Retreat
- Location Grand Beach, Michigan
- Design 1990
- Construction 1991-1992
- General Contractor KAN Construction
- Structural Engineer Harry Marshall
- Design Principal Thomas L Shafer AIA
- Project Team David Strandberg
- Photography Les Boschke Photography
Weekend Retreat straddles the crest of a sandy yet wooded dune along the Michigan shoreline. Measuring sixteen feet wide by sixty feet long, the design is based on a sixteen-inch module. The structure is simple in concept and craft, and was built by local carpenters on a modest budget. Oriented to the northwest and tucked into the thick woods, the house remains cool during the summer while maximizing solar exposures during the winter.
The enfilade plan places the kitchen at its core, and encourages communication between family and guests at the center of the house. The cathedral ceiling of the double height living space continues into the bed rooms tucked within the attic space of the roof. Large operable windows and ceiling fans take advantage of cool summer breezes. The colorful local foliage provides privacy for these rooms and adds to their tranquil ambience. A screened porch and a large wooden deck which cantilevers far above the steep slope of the dune below, offers glimpses of Lake Michigan beyond.
