Private Residence

Wisconsin

Overlooking pastures, the pond below, and fields and bluffs in the distance, the house rests in a small hillside clearing. The home’s approach is marked by a narrow drive that climbs through the woods and leads to an entry court anchored by a curved stone-clad retaining wall. The wall slowly emerges from the hillside and extends out into the landscape to define a series of outdoor spaces.

Passage through the two-story entry reveals an expansive living space with views to the distant landscape. Beyond the stair, formed by wood planks cantilevered from the stone wall, lies the library and sitting area that border the outdoor room below. The light-filled volume of the living space features the interplay of the curved stone-clad wall that terminates in an outdoor fireplace and the rectilinear wood elements. The house’s three levels of glazed timber-framed living spaces are organized around the outdoor court, which is defined by the reflection pond and the continuation of the circular stone wall beyond. On the upper level, a concrete lookout tower rises out of the narrow link between the living quarters and a studio space.

The collection of familiar forms recalls the vernacular of simple rural structures. Modern detailing of common materials merges a contemporary expression with the rural landscape. Scale was carefully considered, and each element of the structure is sited to merge with the hillside and minimize disruption to the natural landscape.